Give Me A Reason
by Rise of the Blossom
Summary: Things aren't always what they seem and when Sasuke realises that, he also realises he has two choices: fight for her, or give in.
1. Just A Gamer

**Warning: **Rated 'M' for a reason

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**Give Me A Reason  
**By: Rise of the Blossom

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**Chapter 1 – Just A Gamer**

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_**Avenger–S signed in**_**.**

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _You're later than usual. Did something happen?_

He stared at his computer screen for a moment, silently thinking, but then before he even knew it, his fingers were skimming along the keyboard of his laptop, typing the words he hadn't even wanted to say.

**Avenger–S: **_My father was being a dick again, arguing with my brother about something and somehow, I got involved. I hadn't meant to get myself involved and my brother tried to get me out of the argument, but apparently my father had other ideas._

There was a pause and several times, the notification-like pen that told him the other person was typing appeared on the bottom of the chat box. However it took a while for the other person to actually reply.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _If it makes you feel any better, I made a total idiot out of myself today…_

He shook his head and chuckled once.

It had been around three months since he and _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ started speaking, having met in an online game. They didn't exchange any personal details, like their real names or anything that could give away their identities. It was more like… He wasn't entirely sure what they were. They had never met before, only spoke on instant messenger or an online game, but they told each other their problems and did what they could to cheer the other up.

**Avenger–S:**_ That depends on how you made yourself look like an idiot._

For all he knew, his online friend could be a fifty year old man jerking off in front of his computer. Gods, he hoped that wasn't the case, otherwise he'd be tracking the creep down and beating him to within an inch of his life. _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ had told him that she was a girl, and he had told her that he was a guy. They had decided to not tell each other their ages as of yet, even though it sounded a little stupid. It made guessing kind of fun, though. Even he would admit that. _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ spoke maturely and she told him that he did, too. However, there were moments or days when they would goof off with one another. If he had to guess, he'd say she was no older than twenty, maybe twenty-one.

With her, even though they had never met, he found himself acting like a totally different guy, completely different to how he was supposed to act or did act in front of anybody else.

He liked that.

Once more, she was typing.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Well, I was in gym and I'm usually pretty good at sports! But my sensei is a total hardass and I ended up throwing up in front of the entire class._

Oh. He grimaced. Well that did sound kind of bad.

Also, maybe she wasn't twenty or twenty-one, then.

**Avenger–S:** _It happens to the best of us. At least you can say you put all of your effort into the lesson._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Are you saying that it's happened to you, too?_

Shaking his head, he smirked.

**Avenger–S:** _Of course not. I was simply trying to make you feel better. I don't think I've ever seen anybody puke from working too hard._

This was what he meant. With any of his friends in the 'real world', he would never speak or act in such a way with them. To them, he was cold and distant, preferring to keep to himself. There was simply something about _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ that made him act differently and for once, he found he didn't particularly hate it. Just speaking with her took away his stress, because he listened to _her_ problems and helped her through them. In response, she gave him advice, too.

She knew that he lived with his mother, father and older brother, the latter having just returned from university. And he knew that she was an only child who lived with her mother. Her father had left them a few years ago and it was just the two of them. But she didn't mind that. Apparently. Others may have believed that, but he didn't. It was how she worded things, and how long it took her to respond.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Wow. Thanks. And here I was, being so kind to you, and trying to make you feel better. Jerk!_

Once again, he smirked.

**Avenger–S:** _Oh? If I'm such a jerk, I wouldn't have bothered trying to make you feel better in the first place. I simply would have laughed._

A knock on his bedroom door grabbed his attention, making him close over the laptop lid ever so slightly. Part of him knew that it would look suspicious of him to do such a thing and no doubt they would think he was doing something completely different. Whatever. Let them have their assumptions. The light on the screen dimmed, but it was obvious he was still using it for it was not completely closed.

"Come in."

The door opened, revealing his older brother.

"Mother asked me to check up on you, Sasuke," his brother told him, stepping into the bedroom and shutting the door behind him. "I'm sorry that you were dragged into that argument. That should not have happened."

Sasuke sighed and placed his laptop down on the bed beside him. It was only Itachi. If it had been his mother, there was no doubt in his mind that she would have asked question after question, wanting to know who he was talking to and whatnot. Speaking with Itachi, however, had a calming effect in Sasuke's opinion. Of course not everybody agreed, for his brother could be incredibly intimidating when he wanted to be.

Sometimes, Sasuke wondered if Itachi got lonely. Ever since he returned from university, he would always find his younger brother and make conversation. And despite having more than enough money to move out, he didn't.

"I'm fine," he murmured, leaning back against the headboard of his bed as he watched Itachi sit down at the desk. "I just… didn't like him yelling at you like that."

What made it so much worse was that Itachi didn't yell back. He merely stated facts calmly. He _never_ raised his voice. Having their father yelling at him the way he was had just seemed so very wrong. Sasuke wasn't even entirely sure what the argument had been about. One moment, it was about the family business and then the next, it was about Itachi being too antisocial. Sasuke would admit that his older brother kept to himself quite a lot (unless it was with Sasuke, their cousin or their mother), couldn't always understand them and was rather quiet, but why bring that up in an argument? To score points? No. Itachi couldn't help the way he was.

A small smile was pulling at Itachi's lips. "Thank you for defending me, but next time, it may be best if you come up here and listen to music or something of the sort. You do not need to be burdening yourself with our arguments. They–"

The sound of his laptop beeping cut him off.

"Sorry," Sasuke mumbled awkwardly and closed the lid completely. _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ would have to wait for a while. Right now, his brother needed him. "How am I supposed to ignore something like that, though? Would you ignore the argument if our roles were reversed?"

Itachi smiled once again and shook his head. "No, I suppose I wouldn't."

"Then don't expect me to do so."

"Very well." Itachi paused for a moment, eyeing the laptop. "May I ask what you were doing before I came in?"

For somebody who preferred keeping to themselves, Itachi had a habit of being nosy. He was the type of person who felt as though they needed to know everything, otherwise it would keep him up half the night wondering about it. Sasuke wasn't even sure how his older brother had survived college or university. The exams must have been torture for him. Sleepless nights, skipped meals…

"Just talking to Naruto." He shrugged. "I'm supposed to be finishing some coursework, but the idiot keeps messaging me."

From the raising of Itachi's eyebrow, it was obvious his brother didn't believe him for a second.

Another beep.

Damn. She was persistent tonight.

Suddenly, Itachi was smirking and stood up. "Reply to her, Sasuke."

"_Naruto_ can wait," Sasuke muttered, his eyes narrowing and telling his brother that he did not appreciate the teasing comment. "What makes you think I'm talking to a girl, anyway?"

The older Uchiha leaned back against the door, seeming thoughtful for a moment as he regarded Sasuke. It was slightly unnerving. "For starters, had it really been Naruto-kun, you would have replied immediately, telling him to shut up despite it not being polite to do so. Not only that, but you would have also signed out, meaning you do not actually want to stop speaking with the person you are conversing with. Whoever it is, they probably know to wait for your reply."

Damn it. There was no getting passed Itachi.

"It's just another gamer," he sighed, opening his laptop and creating a new tab to show Itachi the game. "See? No secret affair or whatever your mind's coming up with." Itachi chuckled once in response. "We've been talking for a while now about nothing important. Just… talking. We don't tell each other our names or where we live."

"I should hope not," his brother murmured after a moment, narrowing his eyes on the screen. It was a violent game – not the kind he enjoyed, Sasuke knew. In fact Itachi didn't care much for games. He preferred to read books or listen to music. "I'm glad nobody has to give you a talk on internet safety."

Sasuke pulled a face. "Actually… Shisui did. He gave me a massive lecture about most crimes now happening online or because of people meeting online."

Itachi smiled to himself and he knew that his brother thought it was nice to know Shisui had taken care of Sasuke in his absence. However, he was home now. Now, it was his responsibility to do such a thing. It was the look in his eyes. "It is the truth."

"…Yeah."

He sounded distracted and after a moment, Itachi noticed how his brother's eyes were fixed on the flashing box at the bottom of the screen, telling him he had two unread messages. "Do not stay up too late, Sasuke. You have school tomorrow and father will not be pleased if you develop a habit of being late or sleeping in."

"I won't." Just as Itachi was about to open the bedroom door, Sasuke added much more quietly, "…It's good to have you back, Itachi."

"It is nice to be home, despite the arguments."

With that, he left.

Sasuke sighed and opened the messenger once more.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _You probably laughed anyway, you jerk!_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Ugh. Are you ignoring me now? Seriously, you need to learn how to take a joke! I don't really think you're a jerk. You can be kind of sweet, actually. Kind of. Not really._

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

**Avenger–S:** _My brother came to talk to me. Tch. You're so annoying._

The response was immediate.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Tch? You actually type 'tch'? What are you, some stoic, badass anime character?_

**Avenger–S: **_Definitely._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Wait, are you being sarcastic or…?_

**Avenger–S: **_What do you think?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _How am I supposed to tell? I can't exactly see you and we're talking over instant messenger. For all I know, you could be being serious. You could even be offended! Oh, did I offend you?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _I hope so. Jerk._

Sasuke honestly couldn't help but chuckle. This girl… She was unlike any of the girls in school. She was honest. Bluntly, harshly honest. And Sasuke liked that about her. It kept him interested. All other girls bored him. Hell, he wouldn't even waste his time sleeping with them because he knew it would only cause more hassle in the long run. The last thing Sasuke wanted was emotional, overly attached fan-girls chasing him around the school, refusing to give him a moment's peace.

**Avenger–S:** _Yes. You wounded me deeply._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Good! So, what did your brother want? Is he okay after that argument you were talking about?_

That was another thing about _Fall–of–the–Blossom._ She genuinely cared. At first Sasuke had been uncomfortable with opening up to her, with typing his problems into an instant messenger in case somebody somehow got a hold of the messages. But after the first time it didn't seem so bad. Actually, now, Sasuke looked forward to speaking with her at the end of every day, even if it was only for an hour or two. _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ was smart, she gave adequate advice and she had one hell of a killing streak on the game they had met on.

**Avenger–S:** _He seemed fine when he came to speak with me just now, but he's good at hiding how he's really feeling._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _There are guys like that in school._

It would be a lie if Sasuke said that his interest was not piqued.

**Avenger–S: **_Oh? And what are they like?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Total assholes. I used to have this crush on this one guy (all the girls are in love with him) but he barely paid me any attention. It was like he hated me and my existence even though he barely even knew me!_

**Avenger–S:** _Maybe he wouldn't have acted that way if he got to know the real you?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _I doubt it. He's an even bigger jerk than you are!_

Sasuke scowled. He didn't appreciate being compared to pricks. There was a slight chance – a very high chance – that he often acted how _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ was describing, but still.

**Avenger–S:** _Maybe he knows you're annoying, then._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Oh, he does. He's called me annoying before. Many times actually. And then the entire class laughed at me like it was all some big joke!_

Sasuke winced. Yeah… The guy she was describing sounded very much like him. A total ass.

**Avenger–S:** _Just forget about him then._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Did that long ago!_

He didn't like it when their conversations moved onto relationships or crushes or whatever. Mostly because _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ was the one who did most of the talking, for she had had many crushes and been with one or two guys, whereas he had been with zero girls, had zero crushes. One time Sasuke had accidentally kissed Naruto, but then he kicked the blond's ass afterwards.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _I didn't tell you, did I?_

Thank the Gods, the conversation was moving on!

**Avenger–S: **_Tell me what?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _I got this amazing offer to go abroad this summer and work in a hospital!_

That was an amazing offer. Even though they didn't know each other's ages, she had assured him that she was not older than twenty–five and was definitely not a dirty, lying old man who was going to kidnap and brutally murder him if they ever met. She also knew that Sasuke was not older than twenty–five, but had yet to guess his actual age.

**Avenger–S:**_ So you want to become a doctor, then?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _For as long as I can remember! What about you? What do you want to do or what are you doing?_

What did he want to do? Sasuke grimaced. He would most likely join the family business because it was expected of him. It wasn't exactly a family business, but his family practically ran the police force. Part of him wanted that, wanted to one day become captain, but… Sasuke knew that that would never happen. Their father wanted Itachi to take over his place, not Sasuke. And if Itachi failed, then Shisui would become captain.

**Avenger–S: **_I still haven't decided yet._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _You're still in high school!_

She was smart, he'd give her that.

**Avenger–S: **_I am._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Me too. My final year, actually._

Same for him.

**Avenger–S:** _But if it's your final year, doesn't that mean you're not even eighteen yet? How did you get that offer? Did you lie about your age?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Nope! It's called hard work. I'm one of the youngest ever to receive such an opportunity, though._

As far as he was aware of, she was. Sasuke hadn't heard of anybody receiving anything like that. He had always believed that, to work in a hospital, you had to be a certain age. Don't ask him why. It was simply because of all the years at college and then at university.

**Avenger–S:** _Well, good luck. And try not to mess up._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Wow. Thanks! Means so much._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Anyways, I've got to go, now. School in the morning and whatnot._

**Avenger–S:** _Same here. Goodnight._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Night!_

_**Fall–of–the–Blossom has signed out.**_

Sighing, Sasuke also signed out and shut down his laptop, getting out of bed for a moment to put it onto the desk. Like he had thought earlier: they could only speak for an hour or two every night. Sometimes, despite it seeming clingy and so unlike him, he wished they could speak for longer. She didn't annoy him like everybody else did.

Pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it to the side of his room, he pulled back his covers and climbed into bed, pausing in laying down to switch out the light.

One final question plagued his mind before sleep finally claimed him:

If she didn't already live in Konoha, would she be coming to Konoha to work in the hospital?

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**A/N ****– My first try at a multi-chaptered SasuSaku fanfiction! I decided to try something different from the other stories. Well, so far I haven't seen any like this and hopefully there aren't any! I just wanted it to not be like the predictable, cliché stories.**

**Happy Easter!**


	2. Family Issues

**Chapter 2 – Family Issues**

School was boring. She just wanted to go home, get online and speak to _Avenger–S_. Was that clingy of her? Probably.

Images of what he could possibly look like kept running through her mind, making her bite her lip. Cute, or sexy? It wouldn't particularly matter to her if he wasn't attractive, for they were only talking, but… It wasn't exactly unknown that she had a bit of a superficial streak. And she may be beginning to develop a crush on him. Was that even possible? Could you have a crush on somebody you've never even met before?

Oh Gods. What if it turned out that he was a she? Not that she'd be disgusted or anything, because if it turned out that she knew that person, and _liked_ them as a person, perhaps she'd give it a try?

"Sakura."

Sakura's head snapped up, eyes widening and a blush sweeping across her cheeks. "Yes, sir?"

"You were staring into space again," her sensei reprimanded her with a sigh. "Honestly, Sakura. You're the top student in this class – in your year. Don't start letting me down now."

"Sorry, Iruka-sensei."

Some in the class giggled, while others looked at her with annoyance.

That was her. Haruno Sakura, the biggest geek in her year. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. How could she just zone out like that? She needed to pay attention, for her grades were everything to her. If she didn't get all As in her results, then she may as well kiss goodbye to the opportunity she had been given. There would be no going abroad and helping out at hospitals, or learning whatever they wanted to teach her at that hospital. Luckily, no one she knew was in this class, meaning she wouldn't be distracted as easily unless her thoughts kept drifting to–

No. _Avenger–S_ did not exist until school was over!

Determined not to be distracted once more, Sakura stuck her head down and got to work, much to her sensei's happiness. She was thankful for how hard he pushed her. It was because of Iruka that she had received such a generous offer. The last person to be given an offer like that had been the legendary Senju Tsunade. She was known all over the world now for her skills. Sakura wanted to be just like the blonde when she was older, only, she wanted it all sooner. She wanted to surpass Tsunade.

She was known as a genius. Not even eighteen years old and already she was receiving opportunities and offers the great Tsunade didn't receive until her early twenties. And like Iruka had just stated, she was the smartest student in the school – well, besides Nara Shikamaru, but he didn't put any effort into his exams, so didn't get the results he should. But being the brightest came at a price. Barely any social life. She had… two, maybe three friends? She had dated one of her friends before but they decided to stay friends. It was easier that way and thankfully nothing became awkward between them. Unfortunately, he had also moved away, back to his home town. And Sakura kind of, _really_, missed him. They still talked, exchanged emails, called each other… but…

Sakura sighed. It was horrible going from talking to somebody every day to suddenly only speaking a couple of times a week depending on how busy they both were. Hopefully, if she got to go to the hospital, he would be able to meet her, since it was in his home town.

The sound of the bell had Sakura sighing with relief, quickly jotting down the homework that had been set and shoving her things into her bag, standing with a long stretch. It had been a double period and sitting in more or less the same position for an entire hour and forty or so minutes was uncomfortable.

Just as she stepped out of the classroom however, somebody slammed into her, knocking both herself and whoever it had been to the ground. It was with a shriek that Sakura pulled on her skirt, trying to keep her underwear covered. That was one of the bad things about a pleated skirt. With pretty much every move, it flipped this way and that. Don't even get her started on the troubles she had to go through when it was windy.

Oh why wasn't she surprised that, once she looked over at the other person, there was a blond stuttering out an apology?

"_Naruto,_" Sakura spat, quickly getting to her knees and grabbing his collar, shaking him roughly. His blue eyes were wide with horror and fear when he saw who exactly he had knocked over. "Watch where you're going, you idiot!"

"You walked into him."

The voice had her tensing, had her heart racing, but Sakura quickly forced herself to calm down. "Hardly. I was leaving my class when he knocked me over." Her fresh apple green eyes snapped to impossibly dark ones, narrowing dangerously. "Don't even try blaming me for that, Sasuke."

Slowly, as to not anger her further, Naruto's large hands encircled her wrists, thankful that the crowds were separating and continuing going to their next classes. "Sorry, Sakura-chan. I didn't see you."

Didn't see her? She had pink fucking hair. Hard to miss her! "Whatever," Sakura muttered, letting go of him and yanking her hands out of his hold like she had been burned. "Just don't do it again."

With that, she grabbed her bag and got up, dusting down her uniform and after a final glare at the two boys, watching how Sasuke reluctantly held out his hand and helped Naruto to his feet, she rolled her eyes and left.

For about a year she had been best friends with the pair of them and with that friendship came popularity. However, after being friends for a year, suddenly Sasuke turned against her (for what she believed to be for no reason at all) and it was easier to say that things had only gone from bad to worse since then. So, instead of having many friends, Sakura now had two or three. And one of them lived in a different country.

To her, the rest of the day passed in a blur and nothing important happened.

The bus was packed when it arrived, making her sigh with annoyance and instead of getting on, she waited for the next one, putting her earphones in and listening to music to pass the time. It wasn't long until a hand was on her shoulder and capturing her attention, though. Actually, it kind of scared her, making her gasp and turn around quickly, ripping out her earphones and eyes widening at the person stood before her.

"What do you want?" she asked awkwardly, fixing the strap on her bag and pushing the hand on her shoulder away.

"To say sorry for earlier." Naruto frowned. "Without Sasuke there and making things awkward."

"Things are already awkward. And you've already apologised."

"But you didn't accept my apology."

"No. I didn't."

"Why?"

Why? For several different reasons that Sakura couldn't be bothered going into detail about. She sighed. "If you're here looking for an apology from me for reacting the way I did, you're not going to get one."

Much to her surprise, Naruto grinned. "I knew you'd still be the same!"

Around the age of thirteen, Naruto had gone away for a while with his godfather. It had been just after the Sasuke incident and he had tried so hard to stay there, to be there for her, but Sakura had smiled and shook her head, telling him to go with Jiraiya (his godfather). At a young age, Naruto's parents had died, though Sakura wasn't sure how and she didn't feel like it was okay to ask him how they passed away. It seemed insensitive to her. Having his godfather find him after all that time, having him turn up and asking Naruto to join him for a few years, had been a dream come true for the blond. Jiraiya had told the school that he would teach him as they travelled (Sakura didn't know how the hell that was allowed) and not even three months later, they were gone.

So why did she feel angry with Naruto? Sakura wasn't even sure. All she could think about was how lonely and hurt she had been when he left and Sasuke ditched her.

"Want to go and get a hot chocolate?" he asked eagerly, blue eyes bright with happiness and excitement.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you paying?"

Naruto chuckled, scratching under his nose with the length of his finger. "Yeah!"

And it was with that innocent, carefree expression that Sakura felt all anger towards him leave her. How could she be angry with him for something he truly wanted? Spending time with the only family he had left (that Naruto was aware of) had to have been great for him! He seemed so much happier now.

She nodded, giving him her own smile.

Just as he threw his arm over her shoulder however, her smile slipped away and she glared up at him (secretly surprised by how much he had grown, as he used to be shorter than her), silently asking him if he wanted his arm ripped off. He slowly retracted his arm and grinned sheepishly, holding out his hand.

"Are you trying to start rumours of us being together?" Sakura sighed, though slapped her hand into his anyway. It felt comforting in an odd way. His hand was so much larger than hers and warm, though not so much so that his palm was sweaty.

"Not at all, although I wouldn't mind having rumours of being with _you_ spread around." He smirked at her.

It was the beginning of winter and the temperature was dropping rather quickly this year, unlike the last. Last year it had been much too warm for snow but it seemed like they were going to get it this time. Good. Sakura liked the snow. She liked it best when it stayed pure white and untouched, but absolutely detested it when it turned into the black sludge it often did.

"How long has it been?" Naruto asked once they were inside the café, ordering their hot chocolates as well as muffins – much to Sakura's delight. "Like… Two years?"

"Four."

He winced, staring down at the ground. "And Sasuke never…?"

"No. Not once," she muttered, accepting the cup from the woman at the counter and following Naruto to a window table. "We tend to just ignore each other."

"But…" Naruto frowned, obviously feeling incredibly guilty. "You made other friends, right? You weren't just left by yourself?"

Would telling him the truth hurt him? Sakura sighed. "I was alone for a while – nobody wanted anything to do with me after being kicked out of the 'popular group'. After a while though…" She gave him a small smile. "Your friend became mine."

It took him a few moments to think about it, his expression one of confusion, thoughts written all over his face. His friend? Naruto thought back to when he was thirteen years old, trying to remember all of his friends. At that time, there hadn't been too many of them, so it didn't take him all too long. "Ah! Gaara!"

Her smile widened. "Yeah. Gaara and I became best friends."

"I didn't see him today, though," the blond stated curiously, scratching his chin and squinting his eyes. "And I can't remember him ever getting sick, so where is he?"

"He moved back to Suna about a year ago."

Immediately, his features saddened. "And you were alone again?"

She shook her head with a soft frown. "Not completely. During those three years, I made two other friends – Hyuuga Hinata and Rock Lee."

"Isn't Lee the guy who takes gym way too seriously?"

A chuckle escaped her, making Sakura's features brighten and in return, Naruto's did the same. "We like to call him 'enthusiastic'. Training and sports are his life, Naruto. Like ramen is yours and like studying is mine. It means everything to him."

He grinned before a softer, more hesitant smile took over. "You're happy now, though, aren't you?"

"…Yeah."

Whether he could tell that she was only partly telling the truth, Sakura didn't know.

* * *

As soon as she returned to the two bedroom flat she shared with her mother, Sakura immediately felt cold. There was an uneasy feeling in her stomach, one that was begging her to turn around and run back down the hall, take the elevator and leave for a while. She couldn't do that, though. If the feeling in her stomach, in her heart, was right (not to mention she saw his jacket), then Sakura knew she could not leave her mother alone in the flat. Not with _him_. There was no telling what he would do.

Reluctantly, Sakura finally stepped further into the flat, shutting the front door loud enough for them both to hear her and instantly, all conversation stopped.

"_Sakura_?"

Who else would it be? She bit back that remark and instead made her way over to the living room, pausing to hang up her jacket and remove her plain black shoes.

The moment she entered the living room, a mixture of feelings stirred in the pit of her stomach. Anger, disbelief, hatred, sadness and pain. Why? Because sitting opposite her mother on one of the charcoal grey sofas, was her father.

"Go to your room for a bit, Sakura." Mebuki sighed, refraining from rubbing her temples. "I will come and talk to you in a moment."

She left without a word, her feet dragging across the wooden flooring as her body felt much heavier than it had in a while. What the hell was that bastard doing back? Why had her mother let him in? Sakura bit her lip and shut her bedroom door after herself, dumping her bag to the ground and going straight to her laptop. It was too early, part of her knew that, but she needed somebody to talk to. And right at that moment in time, nobody other than _Avenger–S_ would listen.

It made her heart melt how he was already online and it immediately caused some of the tension in her body to relax.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Hey._

**Avenger–S:** _What's up?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _My dad's back._

**Avenger–S:** _Is that a bad thing or…?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Bad._

She winced, hearing her mother suddenly yelling at her father, her voice going up an octave or two.

**Avenger–S:** _Why? Are they fighting?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _They're always fighting whenever they're together. But sometimes my dad gets a little rough._

Never before had Sakura ever told anybody about what she had seen one night.

It had been late in the evening, possibly extremely early morning, when her father returned home from the bar, completely wasted. Nothing new there. Only, her parents hadn't been aware of the fact they had woken her up with their screaming. It had been terrifying. All Sakura could hear was yelling and banging and when she finally gathered enough courage to sneak out of her room and creep to the top of the stairs, what she had seen had, quite simply, scared the hell out of her.

Kizashi had had Mebuki by her hair and was yanking hard on the blonde locks, earning a whimper with each tug, but that wasn't what scared Sakura so much. It had been the fact he was holding a knife to her mother's neck. Before Sakura had even been aware of what she was doing, she was crying loudly and running forward, beating her tiny fists into her father's back, screaming at him to let Mebuki go, to let her mother go!

In response, she had been backhanded and due to the force, she stumbled and had fallen through the glass of the coffee table. It had stunned Kizashi enough for Mebuki to knock him off her, for her to run over to Sakura to make sure she was okay. Luckily, there had been minimal damage. The most she got was a busted lip and a couple of scratches.

That had been the turning point, the thing that ended the marriage of Haruno Kizashi and Mebuki. It was one thing for him to hit Mebuki, but the woman would rather die a thousand deaths than have her daughter suffer through the same thing. Whether he regretted hitting her or not did not matter.

**Avenger–S:** _Rough? As in violent?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Yeah…_

Her heart was pounding in her chests, her breathing quickening and her palms were sweating. It terrified her to be telling someone, to finally speak out about what had happened. However, what made it easier was that this was all over instant messenger. She didn't know the person she was actually speaking to. All he knew about her was that her username was _Fall–of–the–Blossom_, she was a female and had been handed a great opportunity while still in high school. That made it easier.

**Avenger–S:** _Has he ever been violent with you?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _One time, which led to the divorce. My mom once told me that she could put up with being beaten, but the second he raised his hand to me was the moment their marriage was over._

There was a pause in _Avenger–S_'s reply, telling her that he was stunned and didn't know how to reply. At least, she believed that was his reaction.

**Avenger–S:** _Have you never contacted the police? A man who beats his wife and child should not be walking free. He should be locked away._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _No, we didn't._

**Avenger–S:** _Why not? It's not your fault and it's not your mother's fault, either._

Sakura smiled sadly.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _It's not as simple as that. You make it sound so easy! If our roles were reversed, would you have your father arrested?_

The reply was immediate.

**Avenger–S:** _No. I'd kill him if he ever laid a hand on my mother and that's if my brother doesn't get a hold of him first._

Her eyes widened. Just who the hell was she talking to? Was he a murderer? No, he couldn't be! He was still in high school. Sakura shook her head, growing angry with herself. It was naïve to think like that. Her old friend (the one she had dated for a few weeks – Gaara) had a violent streak about him, had always been saying how he wished he could get away with murder and other threats such as those. It was simply his temper, his way of handling things. Perhaps it was the same for _Avenger–S_? It would explain why his username had 'Avenger' in it.

The thought of killing her own father sent a shiver of fear up her spine. Would she be capable of doing such a thing? Since that incident, she had taken up self-defence classes and went twice a week, but still… This was the man who had helped create her. He was her father.

Suddenly, before those thoughts could go too far, there was a knock on her door.

"Come in!"

The door opened and her mother popped her head in, giving her a small smile. "Sakura, your father would like to speak with you for a minute. Please will you come into the living room?"

She nodded, her eyebrows knitting together. "Just give me a second to finish off this small part of my essay and I'll be in there."

"Okay." The blonde nodded, a proud look entering her eyes despite what was happening. She was so happy that, despite everything, Sakura still kept her head down and studied hard. She wouldn't end up like her. "Oh and I think we'll order out tonight. I was supposed to defrost the chicken earlier, but what with you-know-who turning up…"

She made him sound like Voldemort. Sakura smirked at the grimace her mother pulled before she disappeared back into the living room.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _I've got to go! Mom's calling me. Apparently my dad 'wants a word'._

**Avenger–S:** _Message me as soon as you're done talking._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _I will._

**Avenger–S:** _I mean it. Don't let him hit you or your mother again and if he does, ring the police this time. He won't stop until he's made to._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Right. Thanks. I'll speak to you later._

With that, she set her messenger onto 'away' and lowered her laptop lid.

Walking back to the living room, despite the short distance, felt like it took an incredibly long time and as soon as Sakura stepped into the living room, she almost wished she hadn't. She almost wished that she'd stayed out with Naruto, because the way her father was looking at her, was the way he'd always smiled at her while growing up, before she discovered he'd been beating Mebuki.

"Hi, love." Her father smiled.

Sakura returned it with a twitch of her lips, sitting down on the opposite sofa. If he was bothered by her keeping her distance, he didn't show it. "Hey," she replied awkwardly, looking around the living room of the flat to try and find something to do. It wasn't too luxurious, as they had just enough money to get by, but it was comfortable and stylish – neither she nor Mebuki would have it any less. After a moment of silence, she inwardly sighed. "Mom said you wanted to ask me something?"

Nodding, Kizashi sat forward, a large smile on his face and making him appear at least five years younger. "I'm getting married."

She frowned. "That's not a question."

An annoyed look flashed in his eyes, an aggravated one. From her place in the kitchen, Mebuki glanced over the counter that was resting against a half–wall at her and gave a disapproving stare, silently asking Sakura if she was trying to start a fight. "No, I suppose it's not. My question is: how do you feel about meeting my fiancée?"

How was she supposed to answer that without getting into trouble? Sakura didn't want to meet the woman. She didn't want anything to do with her father's new life. In her personal opinion, the moment he raised a hand to Mebuki, it was over. It may have been over between her parents when Kizashi hit Sakura, but it was over between she and her father when he hit Mebuki. That was something she could never forgive him for. It went on longer than she was even aware and that knowledge only made her feel even sicker.

"Uh…"

"I told you she wouldn't feel comfortable." Mebuki rolled her eyes, though when he turned to glare at her, she dropped her expression and stared at him blankly, her features completely devoid of any emotion. "Look at her, Kizashi." She gestured to Sakura, who was looking more uncomfortable by the minute. "Sakura doesn't want to meet your new woman."

"She really wants to meet you, Saku-chan."

Inwardly, Sakura winced. That was what he used to call her when she was growing up. His little Saku-chan. After the incident, however, it had never felt right to be called it again. That man, the one who dubbed her as his Saku-chan, would have never hit her mother. In her eyes, back then, he had loved her with all his heart. At one point she had even wanted a relationship like theirs. All of those thoughts, dreams and hopes came crashing down when she saw him holding a knife to her mother's throat, however.

"Don't call me that," Sakura snapped before she could even stop herself, her anger, not for the first time, getting the best of her.

Kizashi's eyes narrowed. "What, you mean 'Saku-chan'? I've always called you by that name."

"Well stop it."

"Sakura–"

"No!" she cut her mother off, quickly jumping to her feet. "I don't want anything to do with your fiancée or you, so you may as well leave."

A large hand grabbed her upper arm, roughly turning her around to face her now standing father. "She wants to meet you," Kizashi repeated through gritted teeth, glaring down at his daughter angrily. "You're going to meet her and you're going to play nice, do you understand?"

Sakura yanked her arm out of his hold and took a few steps back, closer to her mother. "No, I'm not. Do _you_ understand?"

Another hand grabbed her arm, though this one was much smaller and definitely more gentle. Instead of it being rough and painful, it was comforting and soothing. "Leave, Kizashi. You _asked_ Sakura and she said no. Respect her decision."

Kizashi shook his head angrily, his fists clenching tightly by his sides and trembling ever so slightly. "Respect her decision? How can I respect either of you if you show me no respect? I am your father, Sakura. I'm not one of your pathetic school friends!" He took a deep breath, seeming to try and calm himself, but it obviously did no good. "You'll come around and when you do, just pick up the phone."

"I don't have your number."

"It's–"

"Let me rephrase that," Sakura narrowed her eyes, her heart in her throat and the adrenaline that was pumping around her body was amazing, "I _don't want_ your number."

He took an intimidating step forward, glowering viciously at his daughter, but Mebuki was suddenly blocking the view as she stepped in front of Sakura, returning the glare with one of her own. "Leave."

Without a word, he did so, slamming the front door after himself.

Mebuki immediately sagged with relief, but a second later, she was shooting Sakura a disbelieving look. "Do you have to anger him like that?"

Sakura snorted. "I wanted to make sure that you remembered how much of an evil bastard he is." Mebuki's eyes widened, shock obvious on her face. "You nearly got back with him before, Mom, when he tricked you into thinking he'd changed. I didn't want that to happen again. And…" She grimaced, rubbing the arm he had squeezed. There was no doubt in her mind that there would be a bruise the size of his hand the next day. "I wanted to remind myself of that, too."

The older woman sighed and ran her hand through Sakura's hair, pushing the stray strands behind her ear. "I'll never go back to him, Sakura. You have my word. Now, go and finish your essay and I'll have your favourite takeout ordered by six, okay?"

That sounded great. Sakura smiled. "Okay."

* * *

**A/N - Since the first chapter got quite a few reviews, I decided to update again!**

**Don't worry about the short relationship between Sakura and Gaara. It's kind of like those little experiments in high school that nearly always mean nothing and like she said: they decided it would be best to just be friends. There's no romantic feelings between them at all! Don't forget she's only had a couple of friends and as you grow up, you get curious and whatnot. Gaara was someone she trusted.**

**I hope you all liked this chapter! :-)**


	3. A Heated Debate

**Chapter 3 – A Heated Debate**

His shoulders felt so much lighter when he received a message from her. Just two simple words and it felt like he had suddenly emerged from being under water for hours.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _He's gone._

There was nothing Sasuke hated more than men who beat defenceless women. Why only defenceless? Well, he had actually had a debate about that particular, touchy subject with his older brother just the other night. In his honest opinion, if a woman was going to act like a man, then she should be treated as one. You can't hit people and expect them to be okay with it – they were going to strike you back even harder. So, if a woman was getting in your face, was acting like a man and attacking you, then it was okay to put her in her place. Not go over the top and beat the shit out of her – one slap to the face to knock some sense back into her, or a forceful shove backwards to put some space between you. That way, it was merely self-defence and gave you enough time to try and calm the woman down.

Itachi had argued with him on that. It was _never_ right to lay an offensive hand on a woman. If she strikes you, you walk away and only return when she's calmed down, when you have _both_ calmed down. "_But what if you can't walk away?_" Sasuke had demanded with obvious annoyance. "_What if she's continuously assaulting you and you can't find an opening to get away_?" Well then, you simply restrain that woman until she agrees to hear you out, to calm down and act civilised instead of like a thug.

**Avenger–S:** _Are you both okay?_

He always had a good comeback during a debate or an argument and it annoyed Sasuke beyond belief. No matter how sound his own opinion was, Itachi always had something that seemed more just, more right.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Yeah, we're both fine._

There had been a pause in her reply and the pen had stopped scribbling for a moment, telling Sasuke that she had stopped typing and continued not long after.

**Avenger–S:** _You're lying._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _How can you even tell? You can't see me!_

So now she was getting defensive? Something had definitely happened. He wasn't raised by a family who practically ran the police force for nothing, after all.

**Avenger–S:** _You know that you can tell me if he hurt you, don't you? It's nothing to be ashamed of. Angry, yes, but you shouldn't feel like it's your fault. It's his._

Another pause and Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek. Maybe that had been too overwhelming for a reply? Maybe she thought he was being a nosy brat?

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Yes._

Yes?

Sasuke scowled.

**Avenger–S:** _Yes, as in he hurt you?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Yeah…_

His scowl deepened.

**Avenger–S:** _What did he do?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Only grabbed my arm, but it was enough to hurt, you know?_

**Avenger–S:** _Don't try to make it seem less than it actually is. If he hurt you, he's hurt you. Fathers aren't supposed to do that to their children. Husbands are not supposed to beat their wives. Sooner or later, he'll come to regret his mistakes when he's put in the same position or somebody finds out what he's done._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _He's getting remarried… And he wanted me to meet his fiancée._

**Avenger–S:** _I bet the woman doesn't know what he's done to his previous family, does she?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _I don't know and I don't want to know. My mom, however, was talking about secretly getting into contact with her somehow, so she can warn her._

That did _not_ sound like a good idea. Sasuke had heard his father talking about cases such as these several times with his mother. Mikoto had always argued that it would be fair to give the other woman warning, to which Fugaku would shake his head and sigh, muttering that it didn't always work that way. The 'other woman' could turn nasty, could take the man's side. Then, once the man found out what she had been up to, he could be sent into a fit of rage and attack. It had been reported many times to the police and his father just so happened to be in charge of several of those cases.

**Avenger–S:** _It sounds awful, but don't let her go to that woman. Maybe send an anonymous message somehow, but not in person. Don't let her know the identity of your mother or yourself. It could lead to trouble for the pair of you._

It made his stomach twist viciously at the thought of something happening to _Fall–of–the–Blossom_. Was that strange? Was it unusual? They didn't even know each other's identities. They didn't even know what the other looked like. But… Looks didn't really matter, did they? And Sasuke was beginning to learn quite a lot about her, even though he didn't know her identity. He knew her _personality_. Did that sound cheesy or cliché? Did it sound like something from a corny romance movie? It hardly mattered.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _That's what I've been trying to tell her! She just won't listen to me. She thinks she can 'help' the woman he's marrying and can 'save her'._

**Avenger–S:** _Call the police and tell them their address. Say that there's been some loud noises over at their place, sounds like fighting and screaming. Then, when they're there, they'll most likely bring up something about your father's history of beating women._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ That won't work._

Sasuke scowled angrily at his screen.

**Avenger–S:**_ And why is that?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ We never reported him, remember?_

Damn it! Other than that idea he had nothing and even then, the idea Sasuke had come up with had so many risks, too many what ifs. What if the officers arrived to an empty home? What if only one of them (mainly her father) was in? They would trace _Fall–of–the–Blossom's_ call and do who knows what for wasting police time (Sasuke didn't know what because he didn't know what her previous criminal convictions were, and how many warnings she had or may have been given).

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _We're fine, anyway. That's the main thing. Don't worry!_

Don't worry? How was he not supposed to worry when innocent people were being beaten for absolutely nothing? It didn't necessarily matter that they happened to be women, but that fact only made it seem worse. A grown man, no doubt much bigger than his wife and daughter, thought that it was okay to intimidate them and use them as his personal punching bags. That did not sit well with Sasuke and he wanted that bastard locked away with other criminals, with criminals who would use _him_ as their personal punching bag. That way, he'd learn how his wife and daughter had felt. He'd find out how it felt to be trapped and without an escape.

Sasuke gritted his teeth.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Got to go! It's getting quite late and I still need to shower. I'll speak to you tomorrow!_

And just like that, she logged off.

Had he offended her? Been too pushy? Frowning, Sasuke also logged off and shut down his laptop, getting up so that he could place it onto the desk in his bedroom. He'd simply speak with her tomorrow about it, make sure that she knew he wasn't trying to force anything on her. He just wanted herself and her mother to be safe.

* * *

Thursdays were awful, in Sasuke's personal opinion. For one main reason – no, for several reasons actually. First being that Thursday meant debate day in his politics class.

It wasn't an official class, more like an extra couple of lessons a week. Every student in the school had to take an extra class so that they would have more on their college applications. Only the headmaster was aware of the fact Sasuke had tried to take several of the extra classes. However, it wasn't possible. You were only allowed one extra class every year. Why had he tried to take more? Well, because Sasuke had wanted his application to look just as great as his brother's had. Perfect grades, perfect everything. It wasn't fair.

Sighing, he fixed the strap of his backpack on his shoulder and entered the theatre, where his politics class was always held. It was because of the size of the class. For health and safety reasons, there usually weren't more than thirty to a class unless there was more than one exit. Due to it being the theatre, there were five exits altogether. There was over one hundred and fifty students in his politics class.

Just mentioning the amount of students in the class made it obvious why Sasuke disliked it. When he chose the class, he thought that hardly anyone would be in it. How wrong he was. How horribly, horribly wrong he was. It would've been better just to stick to sports. Sure, there was still a lot of students in the class, but at least Naruto was in that class. Here, he had Juugo to keep him sane and that was all.

Everybody was talking over one another as Sasuke sat down near the front, dropping his bag in front of him. Sitting right at the end of the row, right at the front, saved him from being surrounded by idiots. It was like he had a '_how to survive politics class_' guide up in his head. Probably did.

As a certain colour entered his line of vision, Sasuke just about refrained from gritting his teeth.

That was his other reason for disliking his politics class.

Haruno Sakura.

Usually, they just kept to themselves and got on with whatever they were told to do. Most of the time, they didn't even look at each other. However, the other day, their teacher had chosen them both for today's debate. And what was the debate about?

Bullying.

He sighed as everyone else began to sit down, Juugo sitting on his right. Not even half a minute later and the teacher was giving a short introduction to the class, reminding them of what the debate was about.

"And now, we have Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke, debating about bullying and whether or not we can truly get rid of the problem."

Why was he so against this debate, especially against Sakura?

Their eyes met as they stood up and like all other times she looked at him, he saw the emotions in her eyes before those fresh apple green eyes hardened.

It was safe to say that he'd been more than unkind to her. And now she hated him for it.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, Sasuke made his way up the stairs on the left of the stage, Sakura going up the right. There were two stands in the centre of the stage, each of them having a microphone of their own, and when he and Sakura met in the middle, she looked him in the eye for a few seconds before looking away. The pair of them took their places at their rightful stands, staring out of the audience until the teacher spoke up.

"Sakura, you believe that we can stop bullying. Why?"

"It's simple." She shrugged. "If people focused on themselves rather than others, if they learned to face and accept the fact that nobody can be perfect, then I believe bullying can be stopped. There's no such thing as perfection, in my eyes. There's no 'perfect' body, no 'perfect' mind and no 'perfect' student. Everybody has flaws. If we all learned to accept those flaws and _not_ pick them out for everybody to have a laugh at, then I really believe bullying could be stopped."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Even after all these years, Sakura was still so naïve.

"Sasuke, you don't think the same?" the teacher asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No," his reply was simple. "Bullying can't be stopped."

"Of course it can!" Sakura snapped.

Once again rolling his eyes, Sasuke shoved his hands back into his pockets and faced Sakura by turning his head to the side. He wasn't surprised to find her glaring at him. "No, it can't. No matter what you do or say, bullying is always going to be an issue. Nowadays, anything is classed as bullying. From a nasty name to a dirty look – like the one you're currently giving to me."

Sakura's eyes narrowed dangerously and she gripped a tighter hold of the stand. "What would _you_ know about bullying? Be honest." He had no answer. "Exactly. You don't personally know how it feels to be bullied, to feel afraid of even coming to school. You don't know the effect bullying has on people!"

"And you do?"

"Yes."

Silence.

Once again, Sakura's hold tightened. "From our first year right through to last year, I was bullied by the same group over and over again. They would come looking for me when I was alone and did whatever they could to put me down – sometimes going as far as to physically assault me." Just as he opened his mouth, she cut him off. "Why didn't I tell anyone?" Looking out at the gathered audience, Sakura asked, "Who here has been a victim of bullying?"

Hesitantly, a few hands raised.

"See?" she asked Sasuke, glaring over at him. "Nobody wants to speak up for many different reasons. I didn't speak up or tell anyone because I felt ashamed. I felt humiliated and weak and pathetic."

"That doesn't change the fact that you can't stop bullying." Sasuke shrugged, like he was shrugging her words off. From the look that flashed in her eyes, there was no denying that it hurt her. "It happens everywhere. School, college, work. It doesn't matter where you are, there will always be some kind of bullying." Like she had with him, Sasuke cut her off. "Are you saying that you've never given someone a dirty look, or called them a horrible name?" His eyes narrowed. "Be honest."

He could tell that the air felt hotter around her because her cheeks burned with shame. Why? Because the answer was 'yes'. Sakura had picked on somebody before. She had picked on Naruto. Not in a vicious way, but she _had_ called him a horrible name every now and then.

"Known fact," Sakura muttered, cheeks still burning, "bullies are often victims of bullying themselves."

"There's no justifying bullying. You're either a bully, or you're not."

"How the hell would you know?" Sakura once again demanded, although this time, her voice was louder, booming around the theatre thanks to the microphone. Neither noticed the teacher flinch, worrying about either the microphone, or the fact Sakura was getting angry. "You haven't been picked on a day in your life!" His eyes narrowed and Sasuke's body language shifted as he turned to face her more fully. "And no, it's not because people are afraid of _you_. They're afraid of your last name." Clearly knowing where it would really hit him, her eyes narrowed again. "They're afraid of your brother."

This time, Sasuke's eyes widened in shock, but then a look of pure anger settled on his features. Who the hell did she think she was? "Shut up. You know nothing, Sakura."

"I know nothing?"

"No, you don't."

"I think I do." She shrugged, leaning against the stand. "You see, I spoke with Itachi-san a couple of times." It was like she found it amusing seeing his features deadpan, seeing the slight unease in his stance. Sakura had met with Itachi? When? How? _Why_? "And I can tell why so many people are afraid of him, even though to me, he's a pretty decent person and is really nice. It's simply how others make him appear. You know, gossip? And that's why they're scared of him. Because of rumours and stories." She waved a hand dismissively and stood up straight once again. "Anyway, my point is that they're not afraid of _you_, they're afraid of what your big brother might do to them, so nobody dares to pick a fight with you. Yet you walk around school like you're some big, bad boy. You cannot say _anything_ about bullying! At least not the victim's side of it."

Sasuke had no words. He had no comeback. The audience was stunned. The teachers supervising the debate were stunned. He was stunned.

Sakura had defeated him.

_Haruno Sakura_ had defeated him in a debate.

Previously, Sakura had never even been able to talk back to him. She had followed him around and hung onto every word he said like a little puppy. It had been like she was the puppet, and he was the puppet master. Controlling her and everything she did. Why? Because everything Sakura had previously done, revolved around him and everyone knew it.

Now…

It wasn't fairly that she'd beaten him, but when was politics ever fair?

Taking a step towards her, he held out his hand. It was something they always had to do. Something about making sure they didn't part on bad terms, or whatever bullshit the teacher had spouted. The last time Sakura had shaken somebody's hand after a debate, however…

Well, she had given that person a bloody and broken nose by tugging on their hand and slamming her fist into their face.

There had been a reason for that, though, and nobody really blamed her for punching the guy. The idiot had forgotten to turn his microphone off before he called her a vicious name, so they were all witnesses and understood Sakura's reasons, and because they had all stood up for her (yes, secretly he did, too) she never got suspended for her violence. At most, she probably received a detention or two.

It was obvious that people were wary, though. There had always been tension between himself and Sakura, after all, and it wasn't exactly a hidden fact. Even the teachers were aware of it and seeing the teacher now standing up and biting on her lower lip, fidgeting, had him scoffing.

Sakura stared at his extended hand for a moment, looking at it like it was diseased.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "You're supposed to shake it."

And once again, her eyes were hardening and she took his hand, using unnecessary strength when shaking it. Sasuke wouldn't ever admit it, but it hurt. Physically, he meant. Most of his fingers cracked under her grasp and it took everything in him not to outwardly show the pain he was feeling. She smiled sweetly at him, her features innocent and pretty, before giving one last painful squeeze and releasing his hand.

Refusing to show the fact that his left hand was throbbing and aching, Sasuke once again shoved his hands in his pockets and left the stage, mentally calling Sakura every vile name he could think of.


	4. Want To Try Something?

**Chapter 4 – Want To Try Something?**

It didn't make her feel good.

Sighing, Sakura rested her cheek in her hand and stirred her hot chocolate.

Tearing Sasuke down like that, almost crushing his hand… It didn't make her feel good like she thought it would have. It just made her feel like a terrible, vindictive person. What had been the point in her actions and what had she been trying to prove?

"You could look a little happier," Naruto mumbled. "You defeated Sasuke."

Sakura held back an aggravated sigh. "Not fairly. I don't even think we finished our debate properly – I just slammed him about something that wasn't entirely relevant and he couldn't think of anything to say in return." She groaned this time. "And then I went and squeezed his hand–"

The blond laughed at that. "Yeah it's actually bruising and–" Her glare cut him off. "Sorry. I just… thought you'd be happy that you hurt him."

Why would it make her happy knowing she was hurting someone? It didn't matter that it was Sasuke, as he was still a person. He was still somebody who (apparently) experienced emotions and felt things and… Gods, she was such a terrible person. "I need to apologise to him," she sighed, about to rub her eyes but quickly stopped when she remembered her eye makeup. "But I can't."

"You can't?"

"No."

"Why not?" Naruto frowned, sipping his hot chocolate.

"Somehow, he'll just throw it back in my face," Sakura muttered and tried her best not to frown, to stop the down turning of her lips. "He always does."

"Sakura–"

"No." She sighed and sat up straighter, taking a bite of her chocolate muffin. Unlike last time, it was her treat. "I'm not apologising. I should, but I won't."

Silence for a moment. "He really hurt you, didn't he?"

Sakura gave Naruto a small smile, gesturing to his hot chocolate with her chin. "Drink up before it goes cold. I'm not buying you another."

Her guilt didn't lessen. It didn't lessen when she and Naruto went their separate ways, didn't lessen when she returned home to a warm dinner and a smiling mother welcoming her home. It didn't even lessen when Sakura soaked in a hot bath and went on to doing her assignments – something that _always_ took away her stress and made her clear her mind of distractions.

Damned Uchiha.

Even after all these years, he still wouldn't leave her alone.

* * *

School was nearly empty when Sakura arrived the next morning, although that wasn't too surprising considering the fact it wasn't even eight o'clock yet. Why had she arrived so early? She didn't even know.

Her mood had been rather low last night, to the point where she couldn't even be bothered signing in to talk with _Avenger–S_. It was incredibly rude of her since he was a friend who always listened to her problems, but… Closing her locker, Sakura sighed, resting her forehead against the cold metal. Instead of talking to him, she had had an early night. She had eaten her dinner, done all homework that needed to be done and then soaked in the bath before calling it a night.

And the entire time, Uchiha Sasuke had plagued her mind.

And like he had been summoned by just the mentioning of his name in her thoughts, Uchiha Sasuke himself turned the corner onto the corridor, his eyes immediately going to the only other person before they stared ahead of himself blankly. Part of her wondered what he was doing in school so early, and why he looked more brooding (and like a troubled teenager filled with a hell of a lot of angst) than usual, but quickly shut those thoughts down. What he did and supposedly felt had nothing to do with her.

But it had to be done, didn't it? Even if it was only to make him leave her thoughts.

Just as Sasuke was about to pass her, Sakura closed her eyes and inwardly sighed. "Sasuke."

He paused beside her.

"Yesterday…" Opening her eyes, she frowned softly, meeting his dark eyes. They didn't look cold like they always did in her dreams. They certainly weren't warm or open, but they definitely weren't cold. "I'm sorry. For bringing up your brother and then squeezing your hand. I just…"

Apparently, he was suspicious, as Sasuke's eyes narrowed a fraction. "When have you ever spoken to Itachi?"

"My mom works nights in a diner that's open all night and I sometimes stay with her when it's not a school night to keep her company. Itachi-san was there a few times and we talked, as he recognised me from years ago."

Confusion took over his suspicion and Sakura knew it would be about her mother's job, not about Itachi recognising her. It was no secret that her mother was a member of a company that helped out those in debt, as she had often given quick, free advice to others when picking Sakura up from school. However, what wasn't known was that, after the divorce, Mebuki had taken up another job in order to pay for everything such as bills and groceries as well as electricity and heating. When Sakura had offered to get a part-time job, her mother had refused to allow it, saying that all her attention had to be focused on her education.

Instead of replying, despite his only slightly obvious curiosity, Sasuke nodded once and continued on his way down the corridor.

She hadn't expected anything more from him, so turned to her locker and picked up her bag, which was resting by her feet, missing the curious (and still suspicious) glance that Sasuke threw over his shoulder at her.

* * *

It was too hot for this.

Sakura fanned herself with her hand, absolutely refusing to make eye contact with anyone lest she wished to burn up completely. By her side, her friend wasn't doing much better. Poor Hinata looked just about ready to faint. They just so happened to be receiving the sex talk (if the large picture on the screen was anything to go by). From who?

A hot policeman.

Okay, so it wasn't actually a sex talk and seemed so much more serious than that, but Sakura could barely even hear the introductory words spoken by the teacher, despite the inner-nerd within herself screaming for her to take notes and listen carefully. It was just… Oh Gods. She was going into meltdown. Fan-girl mode. And so much harder than ever before.

_Liar._

Sakura ignored the hissing thought and instead kept her eyes locked on the tall man standing at the front of the assembly hall, only vaguely noticing the teacher taking her seat. He was so proud looking and his dark eyes were incredibly intense, making her stomach flip whenever they scanned through the audience, seeming to stick on hers. She knew that was just the irrational, fan-girling side of her, however. Like when girls went to see their favourite male artist in concert and foolishly believed that he had been winking and smiling at only her. Even Hinata felt that way, though, so Sakura didn't beat herself up about it.

"Is this everyone?" The dark haired man glanced over at the teacher supervising the talk, who nodded in response. He stared at the crowd of teenagers again and smiled, earning him a few swoons. "A few of you here know who I am already, but for those of you who don't, my name is Uchiha Shisui."

Uchiha Shisui.

_Uchiha._

Sakura felt her attraction to the man fade ever so slightly, allowing her to calm herself. While it was possible Shisui wasn't actually related to Sasuke, there was a very high chance that he was. Now that Sakura was thinking about it, the last time she had spoken with Itachi, he had mentioned something about a cousin who was a policeman. Maybe it was Shisui?

"I'm here today to talk to you all about internet safety and how it is imperative that you do not give too much information away." Due to wearing a microphone that was attached to his shirt, Shisui was able to walk from the centre of the floor and over to the side a bit, making sure he had everyone's attention. "I know, it's a boring subject and you're all aware of how to stay safe, but do you really?"

Sitting up straighter, Sakura frowned softly. This was really important, actually. It would be a good idea to focus on his words, instead of his appearance.

"A few months ago, I was speaking with my cousin and found out that he had friends over the internet, ones he made through some kind of game." Inwardly, Sakura smirked. Was he talking about Sasuke? Part of her hoped that he was, and that he was the type of person to make fun of his younger cousins. "They speak often and while I don't know exactly what's said between them, I can take a guess: casual banter, giving advice and whatnot."

Again, Shisui walked across the floor. They didn't actually have a stage, but to make sure that everybody would be able to see the person presenting the assembly, the chairs were set out like in a movie theatre, going higher and higher with each row. She and Hinata were fairly close to the front and if you didn't include the couple of teachers who were on the row before them, they were right at the front, having got there early.

Right at that moment in time, Shisui was standing only a few feet away from them and it was amazing to see how connected he was with the audience, how relaxed and laid back he seemed, despite the fact he was speaking with over two hundred teenagers.

"And while it's great that my cousin is making friends, a part of me worried for him. Nowadays, hearing something on the news about online relationships is becoming an every day thing. Nobody really bats an eyelid until it happens to them, or somebody they care about." His eyes were intense again, serious. "Many things can happen, because you don't really know what that person is truly like or who they are. It could be a fake profile, could be somebody who is dangerous."

_Avenger–S._

Her hands clenched into fists against her thighs. This was aimed at relationships such as hers and _Avenger–S_'s, wasn't it?

"Some people even fall in love over the internet and want to meet up in person. This can lead two different ways, though. Either you find what could possibly be the love of your life, or you could end up being the next story on the news."

Her heart was pounding.

"At the station, we receive so many calls about online predators, but most of the time, we can't really do anything about it."

"_Why_?" somebody yelled from near the back. "_If they're predators, then they're criminals!_"

"That's true." Shisui nodded in agreement and shrugged his shoulders a moment later, dropping his hands to his sides. "But at the end of the day, these are fake profiles. Some of these predators have been playing their games for so long that even the smartest of trackers cannot pinpoint their exact location. Fake profiles can also mean fake IP addresses, but I won't bore you with all the technology talk. I'm here to make sure you know how to keep safe on the internet."

Walking over to the stand, Shisui picked up a small remote and lifted it towards the screen. Not even a moment later, a slideshow was being played, showing them a variety of different pictures. They weren't too interesting, merely old news stories and other than the headlines, the writing was too small to actually read, so Sakura kept her eyes on Shisui.

"It's safe to say that teenagers, naturally, are curious about what it is to be more adult, more grown up." Some in the audience muttered, making him smirk. "I get it, really I do. You get bored, you see some things and then you want to try them out for yourselves. I'm not saying it's bad, I just want to drill it into your heads that you're sure you know what you're getting yourselves into. Personally, I'm sick and tired of all these stories being reported about meetings gone wrong, or something of the sort. All you kids need is somebody to tell you what to look out for, how to keep your computers secure, and that it's important that, should you ever plan to meet somebody in person, you take a couple of friends along with you, ones you know will help you should something go wrong."

Meeting up? Sakura bit her lip. She and _Avenger–S_ had never talked about meeting, or anything such as that. It was more like they simply went with the flow, spoke about what came naturally to them, or what was troubling to them. Half of the time, Sakura didn't even think when her fingers were flying over the keyboard of her laptop, typing her thoughts down and sending them rather easily.

What would speaking to him in person be like?

"There's no true way of knowing if you're being groomed by a predator." His voice was more serious than earlier, now. No hints of a joke. "You get a gut feeling, perhaps, and something they say may seem a little out of place, may seem a little… sensitive, should I say. This could be through the request of a certain type of picture, or with less tame words." The smirk returned. "Yes, I'm talking about what is now referred to as 'sexting'. Lately, it seems to have become a more popular thing to do. It's safe to say that everybody's doing it, right?"

A few mutters in the audience and quite a lot of nods, friends nudging each other with knowing smirks.

"There's no other way to discuss these things with you than to be blunt. I've always felt that teenagers are babied too much by adults, who want nothing more than to shield you all from the evil, wicked ways of the world." He chuckled and shook his head, walking to the other side of his floor. "I personally see no harm in warning you all of things such as these, instead of you going out there and getting yourselves into trouble by blindly experimenting, not truly knowing of what exactly you're getting yourselves into – not until it's too late, anyway."

Shoving a hand in his pocket, Shisui raised the other in a half-hearted, one shoulder shrug. "I won't say that you shouldn't do this, or experiment with that, because I believe being a teenager is all about experimenting. You're growing into yourselves and becoming more aware of certain needs. You're glimpsing into the adult world and want part of it. Perhaps you see 'sexting' as harmless flirting, as a little bit of fun. Some of you may even think of it as a bit of a rush, saying such racy things to one another. However, be aware of just who you're talking to and make sure you're both on the same page. Are you fooling around, or are you planning on one day making what you're saying to each other, a reality?"

In front of herself and Hinata, two teachers glanced at each other, the sterner, older woman frowning as she did so. Obviously, she didn't particularly like how laid back the Uchiha was being. She'd probably been expecting him to lay down the law, to say that they shouldn't be getting involved in things such as those. Honestly? Sakura appreciated the way Shisui was telling them everything the way he was. He was speaking to them not like he was superior, but like it was casual, friendly advice. Like speaking with a male family member you knew you could trust.

Previously, with other guest speakers, they'd all been stern and took absolutely no shit. They'd all told them exactly what they should be doing, and what they shouldn't. It always felt like they had absolutely no choice in the matter. Whereas with Shisui, he was relaxed, he was saying that, while it was okay to experiment, they should take precautions first.

"You could be fooling around while the other person may think you're being serious. That leads to misunderstandings. You may know this person in real life, or you may not, but say you decide to meet up and speak in person, keeping in mind that you're thinking one thing, and they're thinking another. What could happen?"

Hesitantly, a few hands raised, since Shisui clearly wanted an answer given the fact that he paused. And as he scanned the crowd, his eyes moved to Sakura's, making her heart skip a beat until they landed on the pale pearl coloured eyes beside hers, making it stop altogether.

Oh no.

"What do you think would happen?"

Oh no!

By her side, Hinata was the reddest Sakura had ever seen her and she could have sworn that the Hyuuga wasn't breathing. Great! Gritting her teeth, Sakura glared over at Shisui for a moment, who was patiently waiting for his answer. Couldn't he see that Hinata had difficulties speaking in front of large crowds? It was so obvious!

"Anything," Sakura forced herself to speak loudly, taking the attention away from Hinata, who sighed with relief and sent her a grateful look.

"Anything such as what?"

He wanted a detailed answer? Sakura's eyebrows knitted together. "Well… If it was a private setting, one of them could become too touchy-feely. Worst case scenario, they could force themselves onto the other person, though because of their 'sexting', they believe it's what they want. Hence, the misunderstanding."

Shisui smirked, nodding once. "Good answer." Her face felt warm as he walked away and to the centre of the floor again. "You'd all be surprised with just how many cases we have of situations such as these. Most of the time, they all begin with supposedly innocent 'sexting'. That's the problem with online relationships. Half of the time, you don't know who you're really talking to. Sure, you may talk, but are they telling the truth? How can you be so sure?"

His questions had a small, horrible doubt forming in her mind.

Did she really know _Avenger–S_, despite all their conversations?

"'Sexting' can lead to sending pictures of yourselves." He became more serious at this slight change of topic, knowing how sensitive some people could be of it. "Private pictures, ones you don't want the whole world to be seeing, other than their intended receiver. However, and I hope you all already know this, once you send a picture such as that, you are no longer in control of what happens to it. The person you sent it to, is. Sometimes not even them. What if their computer has a virus? Or what if their computer is hacked? Or what if that person turns on you one day and in an act of spite, posts your explicit picture onto the internet?"

Dark eyes skimmed through the crowds. "It's safe to say that you're all aged sixteen to seventeen, right? Maybe some of you are eighteen?" A few nods and grunts. "In most countries, including our own, you are all still classed as minors until you turn eighteen. This doesn't mean that you are children, or that you're lower than us adults. It simply means that you're more…" He paused, trying to find the right word. "It means you're more protected than adults, you're more vulnerable and innocent, in a way. Whether it be with your parents, or the law, you are classed as a minor.

"You could be talking to an older man or woman, and maybe you're even hitting it off, but one day, you could decide to send each other explicit pictures of yourselves. If you have lied about your age, the other person could end up in a lot of trouble." Shoving his hands in his pockets, Shisui sighed. The move reminded Sakura so much of Sasuke that it stunned her. "Just last year, there was a case just like this. Somebody accused a man of possessing child pornography and while the girl in those pictures didn't seem all too young, when those pictures were assessed, it became apparent that she was in fact underage. And even though she lied about her age, it was still classed as grooming. That man is now serving time and is on the sex offender's list for the next ten years."

"_What about the picture? What happened to it?"_

"It was destroyed, as were all other pictures sent to the man."

A silence fell over those gathered for a moment, each of them feeling for the innocent man, but at the same time, feeling a strange torn emotion. Surely he would have had some inclination that the girl was underage? Something always gave them away, after all. For example, even though they were keeping their ages hidden, Sakura had let it slip that she was still in school when wanting to comfort _Avenger–S_. Also, those gathered were angry at the girl for lying about her age. Did she feel guilty about ruining that man's life?

"My cousin and I often debate over how many sides of a story there are. I say two, he says three." Shisui was still serious as he regarded them all. "However, it doesn't always matter how many sides to a story there are when up against a jury. They take all child cases extremely seriously and the second the word 'grooming' was mentioned, that man's fate was sealed, despite his lack of knowledge."

It honestly made Sakura feel sick. It always did when she heard about things such as this. For example, rapists only receiving a short sentence (like mere months), whereas innocent people who fought back in self-defence, to protect themselves, received life. What story had she been reading about in her mother's magazine a few weeks ago? Sakura frowned in concentration, trying to remember, but it wouldn't come to her and when Shisui began talking once more, she decided to try and figure it out later.

"What I'm trying to tell you all is that not only should you be wary of who you meet over the internet, but be careful with what you say to them, also. I'm certain that quite a lot of you, if not all of you, would feel guilty if you sent an innocent man or woman to prison, all because you lied about something such as your age." It seemed receiving a nod from one of the teachers meant time was up and in response, Shisui smiled to them once more. "If any of you have any questions, feel free to approach me any time today. I will be here until the final bell."

Nodding a final time to them all, he left the hall.

"S-Sakura-san… Um… I…"

Smiling to herself, she patted Hinata's arm and leaned down to grab her bag, which was resting by her feet. While leaning over she also handed Hinata hers. "Don't mention it."

She and Hinata had been great friends for three years now and Sakura would even say that they were best friends. It had been difficult getting to know the Hyuuga at first, what with her anxiety problems, but slowly, surely, they became great friends who looked out for each other.

Sakura could even remember the very first time Hinata had _really_ looked after her. She'd been feeling low, as it had been when Gaara informed her that he'd be moving back to Suna with his family. After hearing about it, even though Sakura told her she wanted to be alone for a while, the Hyuuga had come over with two bags, one filled with snacks and the other, her sleeping clothes. She'd been so nervous about inviting herself over (to the point where she actually felt physically sick) and continuously helped Mebuki out with whatever mess was made, thanking her repeatedly for allowing her to stay. But once she got comfortable with staying in Sakura's home, it had been obvious, due to the way she relaxed and smiled warmly at Mebuki, at the way she simply helped herself to food and drink.

That day, Sakura had been so very grateful for Hinata's support. She'd even contacted Gaara for her, telling him how upset Sakura was that he was leaving. In response, at one point during that night, he'd come over, also. It had been a little awkward, the three of them squeezing into her bedroom (it was only a small room, after all), though there was no denying that Sakura was happy he came over. A few days later, he left.

Shoving those thoughts from her mind, Sakura stood up along with Hinata, the pair of them slipping their bags over their shoulders.

"Sakura-san?" Hinata called as they began to make their way out of the hall. "How are things going with your friend?"

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Sasuke not too far from them with Naruto by his side, the blond grinning brightly and waving enthusiastically at her when he also spotted her. While Naruto seemed amused, however, Sasuke looked aggravated. No doubt because of Shisui.

"Things are going fine, I suppose," Sakura answered, tearing her eyes away and focusing on the girl by her side. This was one of the only things wrong with how the seats were set out. Getting down the stairs was ridiculously hard work, not to mention it could be a fire hazard. "We didn't speak last night, though, and the night before, I was kind of moody with him. I just hope I haven't scared him away." She laughed even though she felt far from laughing.

Hinata smiled softly at her, knowing that Sakura wasn't truly laughing and only putting on a front. It felt wrong to call her out on it, though, so she settled on telling her quietly, "I'm sure you haven't. We all need time to ourselves, sometimes."

"Sakura-chan!"

An arm fell over her shoulders, very nearly causing Sakura to stumble down the stairs. But while it was almost the cause of her fall, it was also the cause of her staying stood up, too. It seemed Naruto noticed he almost knocked her over, because his hold was tight.

"Idiot!" she snapped, glaring up at him angrily. "I could've fallen!"

"I saved you!"

"You nearly killed me!"

"Sakura-chan." He pouted, pushing his cheek up against hers. "I'm sorry."

By her side, Hinata's eyes snapped away, eyebrows knitting together and her cheeks blushing furiously. Oh, Sakura knew all about Hinata's crush on Naruto. Apparently, it had started way back, on the very first day she saw the Uzumaki. He'd been everything she wasn't. Loud, confident and refused to give up, no matter what he was doing. So she'd admired him from afar, due to her fears, due to her anxiety. Even though time had gone by (four years, to be exact), she still had feelings for Naruto.

Interesting.

"Stop touching me," Sakura grumbled, clenching her fists tightly.

"But–"

"Naruto," she growled out his name, emphasising on the three syllables. "If you don't let go of me, I'm going to punch you so hard you'll think a train has hit you."

Just like that, he let go, smiling sheepishly as he did so.

She shook her head and stepped closer to Hinata, just in case the dark haired girl had a fainting episode while they were on the stairs. It wouldn't surprise Sakura if she did, especially not with how close Naruto was to them and her earlier distress thanks to Shisui. She could feel him right behind them and if the look on Hinata's face was anything to go by, she could, too.

"Just breathe," she murmured to her without looking in her direction, a small smile on her lips. "It's only Naruto."

Hinata nodded quickly in response.

Don't get her wrong, because when it was just the two of them, or with their other friends, Hinata was completely comfortable and able to relax a lot. It was just around large crowds such as this one, or in classes, or sometimes even with her own family, that she felt trapped and like she was going to have an anxiety attack. She'd confided in Sakura about her anxiety several times, telling her how down it made her because she wanted to be more confident, to be more freely spoken and herself. Sadly, Hinata had whispered to her, this _was_ herself, and nothing would change that.

"We have a free now, right?" Hinata nodded in response to Sakura's question and once she did, Sakura glanced over her shoulder at Naruto, who was speaking with Sasuke. "Oi, Naruto. We're going to the café down the road. You have a free now, too, don't you?"

He immediately stopped speaking with Sasuke at the sound of her voice, nodding eagerly. Then, he paused in his nodding, looking up at Sasuke again.

Sakura cursed herself.

Sasuke probably had a free now, too.

"Uh… Maybe later?" Naruto asked with a small smile. "It's my treat anyway, so I'll just meet you after school again."

Crisis averted, Sakura mentally cheered. And it seemed Hinata thought the same because she sighed with relief. "Sure. See you later, then!"

* * *

"No homework tonight?"

Sakura shook her head, smiling at her mother. "Hinata and I got most of it done during our free today at the café."

"I used to love it there," Mebuki remembered fondly, pausing in her talking to take a bite of her meal. "Always so quiet and peaceful, though only because it's never really been all that popular."

Yeah, she'd noticed that. Though it obviously earned enough to keep running, it was by no means a popular place. There were always people there, but never any school kids. If they were ever to buy anything from the café, they had it to go and even then, that was rare to happen since most of them chose to go to a shop that wasn't too far from the small café. Still, she and Naruto loved it there, as did Hinata. They definitely served some of the best hot chocolate she'd ever had.

"I'll be working again tonight," her mother stated after a few moments of silent eating. "I offered to take Yuuki-san's shift, since her sister is due to go into labour any day now."

Inwardly, Sakura couldn't help but frown. Her mother was going to end up wearing herself way too thin one of these days and it worried her greatly. Normal work hours went from nine to four, allowing Mebuki the time to return home and have an early five o'clock dinner with her daughter, before going off to work in the twenty-four hour diner just two minutes from their home. Then, she worked from six until two. That was only some nights, usually Wednesdays and weekends, but it was still too much in Sakura's opinion.

She just wished her mother wasn't so against her getting a job. Surely it would help out? Her mother disliked the thought of Sakura finding herself a job, as it meant less time spent on her studies. In Mebuki's opinion, all those in education should focus entirely on that education. Otherwise, what's the point? They'd only be half-focused on it otherwise, which means not as good results. That was her mother's opinion, however. Sakura honestly believed she'd be able to handle the juggle.

Well, she'd just have to prove to her mother with the summer job in Suna that she could definitely handle being in full time education as well as having a job.

"Doesn't Yuuki-san usually work until much later into the evening?" Sakura asked. "Or, much earlier into the morning?"

When Mebuki nodded without another word, Sakura sighed.

Dinner was over not long after, but when Mebuki stood up to go and do the washing up, Sakura stopped her with a small smile. "Go and get an hour or two of rest, Mom. I'll do the washing up."

It was with a grateful smile that Mebuki nodded and went for that nap.

* * *

Entering her bedroom, Sakura sighed and shut the door behind herself, going straight over to her docking station to quietly play some music and once it started, she grabbed her laptop, switching it on while sitting back on her bed.

It was a small room, though it was decorated nicely, in Sakura's opinion and it made it feel more comfortable, more homely. Against the longest wall of the bedroom was her single bed, the room being too small for a double and on the bed were several cushions, making it a delight to sink into, yet a pain to actually sleep in at night and make in the morning. Usually, Sakura simply threw all the cushions to the ground at night and threw them all back onto the bed in the morning.

Above her bed was a single shelf, one that held framed photographs of herself and her friends, as well as one with her mother. Most of the pictures were old but it didn't make them any less nice to look at. Also, on the wall the foot of her bed was against, was a television, angled perfectly for the perfect view on those lazy, rainy days, or even lazier Sundays.

Everything else in her bedroom was rather basic. Cream walls, except for the long wall the length of her bed was against, which had a cherry blossom wallpaper and dark wooden flooring that the couple below her hated them for, as they could hear everything. Say, for example, Sakura was wearing heels. If she so much as took a step in them, they'd be complaining. However, the carpet that had been in place originally had been smelly and old, as well as rough against her feet. Mebuki had replaced it with stylish wooden flooring as soon as she possibly could.

It seemed like everything her mother ever did was for Sakura. Instead of getting the more popular rooms fixed up first, she instead had Sakura's room done and had done it all herself. It may not have seemed like a lot, but it meant a lot to Sakura. Mebuki simply wanted the best for her daughter, even though she couldn't give her everything. And Sakura respected her so much for it.

Her chest of drawers matched the wooden flooring, as did the single shelf, wardrobe, bookshelf and bedside table, however, the chest of drawers also acted as a dresser, as it had a mirror in the dead centre of it, the table part of it allowing her to place her make up, perfume bottles and anything else cosmetic, onto it. There was also a swivel chair tucked under the dresser for her to sit on when she did her make up. Sometimes, Sakura liked to do her homework at the dresser, too, using it as a desk.

The bookshelf was situated next to the dresser, the bedside table obviously beside her bed and the wardrobe was next to her bedside table, both of which were opposite the dresser and bookshelf. Like Sakura had thought earlier, it was a tight squeeze, but it felt like home and she felt comfortable in her room. She liked waking up in the morning and opening her cherry blossom coloured curtains (the window being directly opposite her bed) and being given the view of a sometimes peaceful looking park (whereas in the front room, all she saw was a car park and the main road), and she liked going to bed at night, watching a movie to fall asleep to.

It may not have been much compared to what others had, but it was home.

It didn't take long for Sakura's laptop to start up, for her to sign in and smile to herself when she saw who was already online.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Hey._

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _Hey._

Rolling her eyes, Sakura placed her laptop onto her lap, leaning back against the headboard of her bed and getting more comfortable.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ How've things been going?_

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _Dull. You?_

Gaara was never much of a talker. Not in person, and not on instant messenger. It stopped bothering Sakura long ago, because if she was really annoying Gaara, then he would tell her so and stop talking to her.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Oh, you know. Same old, same old. I've been waiting to catch you online for a while. You'll never guess who finally came back!_

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _Who?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Naruto!_

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _Naruto's back? When did that happen?_

Smiling to herself, Sakura told him everything that had been happening as of late, including her heated debate with none other than Uchiha Sasuke. He congratulated her on finally putting the Uchiha in his place, as well as almost crushing his hand, though she could almost see him shaking his head at her with annoyance when she told him about apologising to Sasuke.

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _So he's finally back, then._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ And just as much of an idiot as he's always been! What time is it over there?_

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _It has just gone eleven o'clock._

Sakura's eyes widened.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Wow. I didn't think it was that different! Has your insomnia been bothering you again?_

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _Temari seems to believe I'm depressed._

His confession had her heart breaking, even though Sakura knew that wasn't Gaara's intention. They'd always been honest with each other, bluntly so.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ You miss me that much, huh?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Seriously, though. Why does she think that? Is it really that bad over there?_

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _It's not that it's bad over here. I simply don't have as many people to trust here as I do in Konoha._

Gaara had always had problems making friends.

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _There's a girl who's following me around lately, but she's more of an annoyance than anything else. Matsuri, I think her name is._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Maybe you should give her a chance? Maybe she likes you?_

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _Remember Uchiha's fan-girls and how they acted?_

It was with a shudder that Sakura remembered them. Hell, she didn't even have to remember, as she saw them only a daily basis. They practically worshipped the ground Uchiha Sasuke walked on. And Sakura was disgusted to recall that, at one point, she'd been no different.

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _That is how she acts._

Well, Sakura could see why Gaara avoided her, now. Already he was against opening up and trusting others – well, not necessarily against it, but wary of it. Having her acting the way she was, was not the way to go about things. The girl needed to be herself, needed to show him her vulnerable side, yet also how strong she could be. Gaara liked that in girls, Sakura knew. He liked real girls. Not fakes.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Ah, I see your problem._

**Sabaku–no–Gaara:** _Yeah._

"Sakura?"

Looking up at the door as it opened, Sakura tried her best to smile at her mother, who was already wearing her uniform for the diner. Had two hours already gone by? It didn't even feel like she and Gaara had been speaking all that long.

"I'm going now. I'll lock the door after myself and remember: always look–"

"Through the peep–hole before answering," she finished with a smirk. "I think I started to remember when you said it for the twenty-seventh hundredth time."

Mebuki raised an unimpressed eyebrow, but there was amusement shining in her eyes. "Switch the lights and heating off before you go to bed, okay? I'll see you in the morning."

After kissing her cheek goodbye and telling Sakura to say hello to Gaara for her, Mebuki left. It wasn't too long later when Gaara said goodbye, and that he should try to get some sleep. However, just as he did, somebody else signed in, making Sakura bite back her grin as she said her goodnight to Gaara, and her hello to _Avenger–S_.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Hey!_

**Avenger–S:** _You weren't online last night. I thought something might have happened._

Sakura grimaced.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Yeah, I'm sorry for not coming online. After getting home from school, I fell asleep and was out for pretty much the entire night._

**Avenger–S:** _Has your father tried contacting you again?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ It's only been like a day or two… But no, he hasn't. Even if he does I want nothing to do with him, though. He's caused my mom and me too much pain._

They fell into their usual banter, teasing each other one moment and then talking about serious things such as what was being reported in the news, the next. All of their conversations were unpredictable and it was something Sakura liked most. She enjoyed their talks because they made her problems drain away but at the same time, _Avenger–S_ also forced her to confront those problems.

And hours later (their conversation being one of the longest so far), he asked her something that was, once more, completely unpredictable even for him and Sakura couldn't help but wonder what happened to make his attention go in _that_ direction. They'd never seen each other, so it couldn't be her, right? Then again, their last talk had a few innuendos hidden within it, so maybe that was why he asked?

**Avenger–S:** _Want to try something?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Like what?_

Sakura bit her lip as the pen at the bottom of the screen repeatedly appeared and disappeared. Whatever he was trying to say, he clearly wanted to make sure it was worded correctly – if he could even find the right words at all.

**Avenger–S:** _Have you ever sent a picture of yourself to someone?_

She frowned at the screen.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ I thought we agreed on not showing our identities? If I send you a picture, if we've ever passed each other before, you'll definitely know who I am._

**Avenger–S:** _That's not the kind of picture I mean._

Her mind suddenly flashed back to the assembly her year had had to sit through earlier that day. It had been about online relationships and the dangers of sending… of sending…

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Nudes?_

**Avenger–S:** _…Yeah._

There was no denying the fluttering in her stomach, but was that nervousness or something more? Yes, Sakura had been aroused before and this definitely felt like arousal, however, could she really take the risk of sending nudes of herself to somebody over the internet? Somebody she had never even met before? What if those pictures were posted all over the internet? After all, once you take those pictures, once you send them, you are no longer in control.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Don't you have porn for that kind of stuff?_

**Avenger–S:** _Porn is meaningless._

Wasn't it supposed to be that way? Absolutely meaningless? You watch it, you jerk off and then boom, you're done. At least, Sakura had always thought that was what it meant to guys.

**Avenger–S:** _What's so good about plastic bodies, fake pleasure and even faker orgasms?_

Well, he kind of had a point. Sakura squirmed in her seat, biting her lip.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ I don't know… How do I know you won't post them up somewhere?_

**Avenger–S:** _You may not know my identity, but you know me. Whatever this is, means something._

"_I won't say that you shouldn't do this, or experiment with that, because I believe being a teenager is all about experimenting. You're growing into yourselves and becoming more aware of certain needs."_

That was what Uchiha Shisui had told them all earlier that day.

It was okay to experiment, as long as they were smart about it.

Standing up, Sakura walked over to her bedroom door despite being home alone and locked it, double checking to make sure it didn't give in to even the slightest amount of pressure. It didn't. She sighed and moved over to her drawers, quickly stripping down and pulling on her nicest matching set – an apple green lacy thong with a lacy bra the same colour.

Her laptop made a pop–up sound, the kind that told her she had a new message.

**Avenger–S:** _You don't have to._

Ignoring that message for a moment, she checked herself over in the mirror, pulling every strand of her hair back into a high bun. It was how everyone identified her, how they knew it was her. She was the only person in Konoha with naturally pastel pink hair.

After dimming the lights until they were off completely, Sakura walked back to her bed and sat down carefully, adjusting the screen so that while she could see the writing clearly and was capable of typing, the camera went no higher then her stomach. She'd never felt confident about her breasts, anyway.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Okay._

**Avenger–S:** _Okay?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ I'm up for trying something new._

There was a lengthy pause, one where her heart was pounding away in her chest. It made Sakura believe that he wasn't going to reply, that he was really laughing at her from behind his screen. Maybe he _was_ doing that? Maybe he couldn't believe how unbelievably easy it was to get her to agree? Did it make her look like a whore?

_**Avenger–S is sending you a request to video chat.**_

Sakura's heart stopped.

Shifting backwards so that she was more comfortable, she leaned against the headboard of her bed and swallowed heavily as she accepted the video chat. It took a few moments to load, but the second it did, her heart was in her throat and her palms were sweaty.

The sight before her was nothing special. While she was sat in bed, _Avenger–S_ seemed to be sat at a desk and also like Sakura, he had the camera aiming down at his crotch. He was still fully dressed.

Oh Gods, did she seem desperate?

**Avenger–S:** _Have you ever done this before?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ No. Have you?_

**Avenger–S:** _No._

So where did they start? Was she supposed to do something that would get him going? Or would he start _that_ kind of conversation?

**Avenger–S:** _You're breathing quite heavily…_

Sakura blushed and quickly muted her microphone.

**Avenger–S:** _It's not a bad thing._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ You might recognise my voice if I say something or make a noise._

She saw him shift in his seat.

**Avenger–S:** _Why would you be making a noise?_

It occurred to her that he thought she had meant moaning, or gasping. Anything that had anything to do with being pleasured. Partly, yes, Sakura had in fact meant that. However, that wasn't actually what she meant. It was mostly the talking that had her worried. Her mother wasn't due home until way after midnight and it was only ten, so Sakura knew that she wouldn't be disturbed – it was simply a precaution. If her mother came home and found her door locked, she would immediately call out to her to see if she was okay – which meant her identity would be given away.

What was she supposed to say in reply to that?

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ You never know…_

When he shifted again, Sakura also shifted, parting her legs further so that the keyboard was easier to reach and therefore giving _Avenger–S_ an eyeful. He certainly didn't complain and in fact unbuttoned his jeans, seeming to be adjusting something when his hand reached in–

Oh Gods. She was turning him on!

**Avenger–S:** _I want to hear you moan._

Something was happening to her eyes. Sakura blinked a few times, willing them to stop feeling so heavy.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ First you would have to do something to make me moan._

His microphone was also muted, Sakura realised belatedly, watching as he shoved his jeans further down, revealing plain black boxers. It made her swallow hard seeing that they were tight, seeing his erection clearly through them. Unlike her room, his was fully lit, whereas Sakura only had her laptop lighting up her more… intimate areas.

**Avenger–S:** _Would it make you moan if I kissed your neck?_

Would it be obvious to others if they ever, _somehow_, got a hold of this certain conversation, that this was their first time doing such a thing?

Sakura paused thoughtfully, her hand raising and stroking the side of her neck. It didn't feel all that sensitive.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ Maybe if you kissed a little lower…_

She imagined sinful lips brushing against the base of her neck, moving lower and lower until they reached her chest…

Sakura's breathing became shallow as she shifted her position ever so slightly, biting her lip.

He reached into his underwear once more.

**Avenger–S:** _What if I were to kiss my way from your lips, slowly down your neck and to your breasts, teasing one of them as I gently caressed the other?_

In response to his words, Sakura reached up and stroked her breast, trying to think of it as someone else's hand, but after a moment, it had no effect on her due to the padding on the bra. Leaning up, she unhooked the bra and dropped it to the side of the bed, sitting back once more and cupping her breasts. It seemed he could either see part of what she was doing, or guess, because that hand in his boxers began moving a little faster.

Sakura bit her lip, one hand dropping to the keyboard of her laptop.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ I want to see you…_

He understood immediately just what part of him she wanted to see, because he was suddenly tugging down his boxers, giving her a sight that had her stomach pooling with warmth.

**Avenger–S:** _Your turn._

Barely even aware of what she was doing, Sakura swung one leg over her laptop and stood up, shuffling her underwear down her legs. Keeping one hand covering herself, she returned back to her original place.

His hand was touching himself once more at the sight of her covering herself, seemingly touching herself. It was odd, yet strangely arousing, watching him pulling his hand up and down his length, watching how his hips bucked in time with his movements. It seemed average-sized, though definitely more than a handful for him. Sakura would say, if she was guessing, that he'd be able to fit both of his hands along his length. Quite impressive, she'd have to admit.

**Avenger–S:** _Are you just going to sit there?_

Sakura had masturbated before. Several times, in fact. But could she masturbate on camera to somebody while they did the same? Had she been hearing about this in school, Sakura would have immediately rolled her eyes and judged those people. Now, she was in the exact same position.

It felt so good pleasing him, though. It made her feel more confident.

Slowly, her fingers began a rhythm of gently teasing herself in circular motions.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _If we were to ever meet in person, what would happen?_

He paused in his movements for a moment before he slowly continued, typing with the other hand.

**Avenger–S:** _I'd take you out. Show you the city I live in and then maybe we would go back to my place._

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Like a date?_

**Avenger–S:** _Yeah._

Even though they had never met before and had no idea what the other looked like, Sakura couldn't deny that butterflies fluttered around her stomach at the thought of being on a date with _Avenger–S_. She didn't need to know what he looked like. _Avenger–S_… It was hard to explain.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _I'd like that._

His hand stopped completely and he stayed completely still for half a minute, which had Sakura stopping also. It felt strange continuing without him and instead, she kept herself covered with her hand, watching him warily. It said that he was typing several times, but it wasn't until at least two minutes later that he actually settled on what he'd put and sent it.

**Avenger–S:** _Do you want to? Meet up, I mean._

Sakura bit her lip, closing in on herself ever so slightly. Was he only bringing this up now because she had revealed herself to him? There was always something about online relationships going wrong either in the news, or in the papers. But was that even what they were? In an online relationship? Strangely enough, it felt like they were.

Did she want to meet up with him?

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Sakura wrote her reply.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Where are you from? If we're going to do this, then we need to know a little more about each other. Age, where we live. We don't have to exchange names or pictures, that way it'd be easy to back out if one of us suddenly changes our minds._

**Avenger–S:** _That makes sense. I'm seventeen and from Konoha, by the way. If we don't exchange names or pictures, then how will we know who the other is?_

Her heart skipped a beat. Konoha? Was there a chance that she had already met him? There were several high schools in Konoha and it was a huge place, but there was always the chance of passing him by.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _I'm seventeen and from Konoha, too. On the day we could tell each other what shirt we're wearing? Does that sound good?_

There was a pause in his response and Sakura bit her lip, hoping he was just as shocked as she was.

**Avenger–S:** _Do you think there's a possibility that we've met before?_

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Konoha's a big place… Maybe._

Glancing down at herself, Sakura frowned. Just one look at the video chat told her that _Avenger–S_ was still in the mood, his erection standing proudly.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Do you want to continue, or…?_

**Avenger–S:** _Only if you want to._

She smiled softly at his words, not replying through message as she instead continued what she had started, the excitement of possibly having already met _Avenger–S_ causing that warmth to return. For a second, her eyes shut slowly and her head fell back, but Sakura opened her eyes a moment later, watching as he received her wordless message and also continued.

Free hand gripping hold of her thigh, Sakura's hips bucked into her own hand, her vision blurring for a few seconds when she felt the familiar signs of orgasm. It seemed _Avenger–S_ was just as close, for his hand was moving much more quickly, hips bucking just as much as hers were. Knowing that she was alone in the apartment made Sakura more comfortable, so she didn't hold back her moans and gasps of pleasure as her fingers worked to his pace. And when orgasm slammed into her, Sakura's hand on her thigh released it and grabbed the sheets, her breath catching in her throat and her hips bucking uncontrollably. At the same time, _Avenger–S_ reached his orgasm, too, most likely to the sight of Sakura reaching hers. It added to her pleasure, seeing him release himself like that. It made her feel so very powerful.

Sakura collapsed against the headboard of her bed and panted hard. Previously, her orgasms during masturbating had always been rather small, lasting mere seconds, but that one… Who would have thought that having somebody join her, even if it was over video chat, would make her orgasm much stronger, much more powerful?

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:**_ I can't wait to meet you._

**Avenger–S:** _I know._

* * *

**A/N - This chapter was originally going to be split into two separate chapters and the second half was going to be in Sasuke's point of view instead of Sakura's. However, I've always thought that Sasuke is unpredictable and there's no true way of knowing what's going through that head of his. Shisui's talk opened up the 'adult world' to them both. As well as that, Sasuke's just an average teenage boy, with the same needs and other shit like that. He's not an avenger in this story, despite his username.**

**Also, keep in mind that they've been speaking for months, not only for four chapters! The story begins around three months after they started speaking and they speak every day (except for the day before in this chapter, when Sakura was too drained to talk).**

**Anyways, hope you liked the chapters. Oh! And is anyone else excited about Naruto Part 3?!**


	5. This Is It

**Chapter 5 – This Is It**

It had been a week since that night.

Sakura hadn't told anybody about it, not even Hinata or Gaara. She knew what they'd say to her, knew what they'd think. After all, until that night, Sakura had thought and felt that way, too. Getting naked on video chat and masturbating while watching somebody else do the same, wasn't very classy, was it? It was the exact opposite of classy.

She and _Avenger–S_ were not in a relationship. They weren't in love. That was why it could never be classy. No, Sakura wasn't saying that she didn't like him, because she did. A lot. However, they were not a couple. As far as she was aware, only couples who were in stable relationships did the things she and _Avenger–S_ now enjoyed doing.

They spoke for longer now, telling each other small parts about themselves. Still, no names or any other information that could allow the other to track them down were shared. It was more about being smart than not trusting each other, though. Uchiha Shisui's talk was still to the very front of her mind, reminding her every day how important it was to stay safe on the internet. She'd even told her mother about the talk, who then went out and bought her a new anti-virus software as a 'just in case'.

Of course, Mebuki didn't know about _Avenger–S_. Whenever she heard Sakura giggling to herself, Sakura always told her that she was just speaking with Gaara. She usually told her mother everything, but this… This didn't feel like it was something she should tell the older woman. It simply felt wrong to do so, like she'd be screamed at for doing so.

Their decision to meet up…

Sakura took a deep breath and closed her eyes, willing the nervous butterflies to leave her alone for just a moment.

"U-Uh, Sakura-san?"

Opening her eyes once more, she smiled patiently at Hinata, knowing what the girl was trying to get her attention about. No doubt a certain blond was entering the café, coming up to them when he spotted her hair.

"Just breathe, Hinata," she told her quietly, sipping her hot chocolate.

"Sakura-chan!" he greeted loudly, all but strangling her as he wrapped his arms around her neck. "What's up?"

Sakura demanded that she take her own advice, but while Hinata had to breathe through her nerves, Sakura forced herself to breathe through her overwhelming urge to turn and slam her fist right into Naruto's face.

"Sit down, Naruto," she sighed after a moment, carefully placing down her drink. "And don't be so rude! You're supposed to greet both of us, not just me."

Hinata blushed, waving her hand. "I-It's fine, I–"

"You're Hyuuga Hinata, right?" Naruto smiled warmly, throwing himself into the seat next to Sakura's. "Neji's cousin?"

It was quickly that Hinata nodded, smiling shyly. "Yes."

"I thought I recognised you from somewhere. I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"

Sakura sent her a congratulatory smile for managing to hold back her nervous stutters.

"So, what's going on?" he asked curiously, resting his elbow on the table and his head in his hand. "You said you needed me?"

"Well, sort of."

Her sudden shyness and nervousness had Naruto pausing, had him narrowing his eyes suspiciously. Around him Sakura hadn't been nervous in a long while, if ever. He could remember everything about the girl sat beside him, from the very first time he caught sight of her hair out of the corner of his eye, right to the very first time she punched him for being an idiot. In all that time, around him, she had _never_ shown nervousness or shyness. Only–

His blue eyes went wide.

"A guy."

Hinata was blushing again.

"Yeah, actually," she murmured, stirring the stirrer in her hot chocolate distractedly. "That's what I need you for. I need you to drive me somewhere, and to be a… Well, just be there as a support, really."

Why was his stomach twisting uneasily? "Why?"

When Sakura said nothing, Hinata took a deep breath before speaking for her, demanding herself to do this for Sakura. It had been a long while since she'd seen her friend so happy about something. "They met online, Naruto-kun." While her voice was quiet, her eyes held her seriousness, easily sharing the tone she was aiming for, yet not achieving. "And last week, they decided it was time to meet up. Both live in Konoha, both are the same age. Sakura-san simply wants us both to be there, just in case."

It was safe to say that Naruto didn't look all that happy. "Weren't you listening to Shisui, Sakura-chan? He said it's dangerous to meet people you met online!"

"But he also said that if it feels right and you really want to meet them, take friends you know you can trust to have your back and protect you, with you." Hinata countered bravely. "Naruto-kun, I know you have your doubts, as I have mine, but this is what Sakura-san wants. The guy she is meeting is who she wants. Please help her with this."

There was a pause, one where Naruto stared into those pearl eyes, trying to calm down and see this from both of the girls' perspectives. It was difficult, though. What Hinata was saying made sense, sure, but it was still so risky. What if something went wrong? What if he couldn't help Sakura in time and she got hurt? What if the guy was carrying a gun, or some other weapon on him and pulled it on her? Then again, if that happened, wouldn't it be better to be there for her, protecting her, than letting Sakura go off on her own to meet the guy? No offence to the girl sitting opposite him, but she didn't look like much. And while he knew that Hyuuga Neji was a prodigy in martial arts, he seriously doubted Hinata was. She looked so fragile and delicate, like a porcelain doll you had to take extra care of. Just one rough movement and she'd break. Which was probably why they'd called him in.

It was no secret that Naruto was strong, despite his appearance. If somebody pissed him off, chances were, they weren't getting away with it. And if somebody so much as threatened somebody he cared for, then that person would be destroyed. It was as simple as that, in his mind.

He sighed. "Are you sure about this, Sakura-chan?"

She nodded silently.

"When are you meeting him?"

"…Today."

Naruto shook his head, running a hand through his messy blond hair as he sat back in his seat. "Don't you want to wait a little while longer? Get to know him better?"

"We've been talking for months now, Naruto," Sakura told him seriously, eyes narrowing a fraction. "He knows more about me than anyone else. Including both you and Hinata, as well as Gaara."

He raised his hands defensively. "Fine, fine. Just… I'm meeting him with you."

"Naruto–"

"Sakura-chan, what if he hurts you?" he demanded. "Do you think I'd be able to stand seeing you hurt, knowing I was–"

"Listen," she said calmly, her heart warming at his protectiveness. "I won't be too far away from the car and we're meeting in a public area. It's well lit and people are coming in and out of it, all the time. He doesn't know my real name, or where I live, or what school I go to. All of that has been kept a secret just in case one of us changes our minds."

A pause. "So… You only know his online name?" Sakura nodded. "What is it?"

"_Avenger–S_."

Why did that sound so familiar to him? Frowning, Naruto nodded once. If it sounded familiar to him, then it probably wasn't bad, was it? He never watched the news, definitely didn't read the papers and the only times he went online was to talk to friends. It was a very low chance that it was a criminal who used that name. If anything, it may be a friend of his. His mouth opened, eyes threatening to widen, before Naruto quickly calmed himself before they noticed.

Clearly, this meant a lot to Sakura. He wasn't about to ruin it by putting thoughts into her head of who _Avenger–S may_ be. After all, Naruto was just taking a guess. One of his friends online had that username, of that he was sure. He just couldn't remember who. He had over three hundred friends on one social networking site alone. And considering that Sakura knew so little about things such as names and personal details, Naruto was guessing that she didn't know what he looked like, either.

What friends of his didn't have a profile picture that was of themselves?

"How will you know it's him, Sakura-san?" Hinata asked.

"We're telling each other what we're wearing and what to look out for." She glanced down at herself after a moment, frowning. "Though I think I might get changed before we go. What time is it?"

Hinata lifted her sleeve, glancing at her watch before covering her wrist once more. "Just gone one o'clock."

"What time are you meeting him?"

"Three o'clock," she answered Naruto, biting on her lower lip. "Will we be able to stop off at home? I can put money towards your–"

"Don't." He shrugged with a smirk, standing up. "Living with ero–sennin means I have money. He just thinks I'm spending it on girls."

"Technically, you are," Sakura stated as both she and Hinata stood up with him, finishing off the last of their hot chocolates. However, during their walk to the door, Naruto shook his head, his smirk widening and at the look of it, Sakura's cheeks flushed red, as did Hinata's entire face. "You perverted–"

He quickly ducked and ran out of the door, laughing loudly.

* * *

"What is it, Sasuke?"

Sighing, Sasuke entered his brother's bedroom, shutting the door after himself as he did so. It seemed he already had company but that was fine, considering the fact that Itachi was sitting against the headboard of his bed while Shisui was seated at the desk, going over reports. The both of them appeared to be relaxed and at ease, which made it okay to continue. The reports must have been secretive, however, because he immediately put them back into the folder as soon as Sasuke entered the room.

For a moment, there was silence. He wasn't sure how to get his words out.

"Do you need something?" Itachi asked with a raised eyebrow, though remained in his relaxed position.

"Yeah."

"What is it?" Shisui questioned, rather intrigued. It wasn't every day that Sasuke was uncomfortable with asking for something. "You look a little flustered, Sasuke-chan."

"I'm… meeting a girl," he murmured, eyes staring out of the window and despite his efforts, he could feel the back of his neck burning.

More silence as Itachi and Shisui exchanged glances. "And you want… advice?"

Shisui smirked. "Or tips?"

He breathed deeply and tried to find the words, examining Itachi's bedroom as he did.

It was rather plain and apparently, Itachi had always been against their mother decorating it for him. All he had to decorate his bedroom was a single family photograph which sat on his bedside table. Even his bedding was plain, as were the walls, curtains and everything else that their mother put patterned whatever onto. Sasuke couldn't blame him, really, but at the same time, it looked so impersonal. Like it was merely a guest's room and not his own.

How was he supposed to explain to them that he wanted to meet the girl he met online?

"Your speech at school, Shisui," Sasuke eventually forced out. "You said that we should take people with us."

It was instantly that Shisui caught on and his usually reserved expression showed surprise for a moment before softening ever so slightly, realising that the kid was finding it a struggle. That was no surprise. It had to be uncomfortable asking your older brother and cousin to accompany you on your first meeting with somebody. "Ah." he sighed understandingly, nodding once. "You met a girl online and now you want to meet in person."

It wasn't a question, but Sasuke nodded anyway.

"What time, Sasuke?" Itachi asked as he stood up from his bed. "We can take you now, if you want."

He found it a pleasant surprise that his brother was opening up to others, that he came to _them_ for help. Itachi merely hoped that the person he was supposed to be meeting, didn't turn out to be something completely different. It would be awful for his brother's trust to be betrayed in such a way, especially considering the fact he didn't open up to many people. It was a rare thing to happen. He and their mother had been discussing it just the other day, in fact.

"Three o'clock."

"And you're sure this is what you want?" he asked his brother while taking note of the alarm clock on his bed. Two o'clock. They had some time to spare. Considering the fact Sasuke had only just come to them, it was obvious the meeting place wasn't too far from them. Otherwise, he would have come earlier. Then again, Sasuke liked to be early for a lot of things. It gave him time to think everything over clearly and whatnot.

Was he sure this was what he wanted? Sasuke thought it over for a second before realising he didn't even need to think about it. "Yeah."

It was safe to say that he was addicted. Well, perhaps addicted was too strong a word, but that was how it felt. Just going that one day without speaking to her, to Fall–of–the–Blossom, had been so excruciatingly slow. And after the day before, after she had signed out when he pushed too hard about the subject of her father, Sasuke had believed he'd offended her, or maybe even pushed her away. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. Lately, she'd been the only good thing about his day.

Then, came the… racier conversations. Sasuke couldn't remember how it started. All he could remember was feeling so glad that she didn't hate him, that she'd simply been worn out from school and the situation with her father. They'd been talking about everything and anything, like they usually did, but there had been more innuendos than usual. She'd been saying things to him that could have had double meanings, which then led to the whole 'want to try something new' discussion.

He definitely wasn't complaining, however.

Since that night, they'd done the same thing a couple of times and other times, they'd exchanged pictures, exchanged nudes. And every now and then, when nobody was around, Sasuke would catch himself pulling out his phone and admiring those pictures, the flare of her hips, her toned, long legs. She always seemed to be wearing green nail polish, too. Apple green, actually.

That caused a little bit of a problem to him for a reason he couldn't even begin to understand. He'd seen the exact same shade before. Several times, actually. But Sasuke had no idea where from. And that was what continuously bothered him. If he'd seen it before, then did that mean they'd already crossed paths? If they had done, had he been pleasant, or a complete and utter prick? Had _she_ been pleasant? Or was she a bitch he wished to never see again?

Those thoughts kept him up at night.

"Where?"

Sasuke immediately came back to himself, forcing those thoughts aside. He'd see in just under an hour if he knew her or not. His stomach flopped at the thought, though he refused to acknowledge it. "A car park. The one ten minutes from the shopping centre."

"Smart choice," Shisui commented as he also stood up, patting his youngest cousin on the back. "Public place, lots of CCTV and many exits."

Well of course. Sasuke had done his research, after all.

"Let's go, then," Itachi murmured and opened his bedroom door, leading the way to his car. "It will take around half an hour to get there, so it would be best that we set off now."

That's what Sasuke liked to hear. His brother knew him well, therefore knew that he had a tendency to arrive early to everything. Pulling out his phone, Sasuke quickly typed out a message as he signed into the instant messenger via his phone.

**Avenger–S:**_ Blue shirt and black jeans._

It was five minutes later, when they were seated in the car and on the way to the meeting spot when she replied.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Red dress._

Just those two simple words had many images exploding within Sasuke's mind, forcing him to imagine what she'd look like in the dress. However, he'd only seen her body from the neck down, as she had his.

He couldn't wait to see what she looked like.

It was unusual for him to be excited by anything, or even to look forward to anything, but Sasuke found that he could just about sit still during the drive to meet her.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Sakura left her bedroom, not bothering to shut the door behind herself as she did so. And when she entered the living room, raising her arms and spinning around, she gave the two sitting on one of her sofas a small, nervous smile.

"Do you think he'll like it?"

Hinata smiled softly and nodded, while Naruto stated rather proudly, "He'd be stupid not to!"

Oh Gods, she was so nervous!

The red dress was one she bought last summer and it accentuated her breasts, though flowed out from there, rising every time she spun around (though not enough to expose herself) and made flipping motions. It was incredibly comfortable with the added benefit of looking great, something that was hard to find nowadays. And to go with the sleeveless red dress, she was wearing white pumps. They were a pain to keep clean, but not impossible thanks to her mother.

Holding her phone tightly in her hands, Sakura glanced at the clock on the wall, biting her glossy, rosy red lip as she did so. Today, there was no choice in wearing make up. All that ran through Sakura's mind was that she _had_ to make a good impression (an example of this would be wearing a summer dress when they were entering winter). She had to make sure _Avenger–S_ thought _damn_ when he first saw her. He couldn't be disappointed by what he saw. It would crush her.

"Let's go, then," Naruto exclaimed as he bounced up onto his feet. "And if he turns out to be a creep, I'll beat his ass for you!"

There was no point in arguing, so Sakura simply smiled and nodded her thanks, whereas Hinata gave her an encouraging smile. Like she had thought earlier, the dark haired girl knew how much this meant to her, how important it was.

It felt like only seconds later that they pulled into the car park and as they did, Sakura took a deep breath and closed her eyes, willing the overgrown butterflies in her stomach to disappear. At this rate, she wouldn't even be capable of forming words. It was nearly time. Just ten more minutes.

* * *

"Are you ready, Sasuke?"

His brother's voice was like an anchor, though Sasuke would never admit to it. If it weren't for him, Sasuke was certain that he would have had difficulty actually getting out of the car. It was because he didn't want to look like a coward, or show his nervousness. After all, it wasn't like him to be nervous. It would be a pain for the two of them to hold it against him. There was no denying that he _was_ nervous, though. After so many months of exchanging online messages, they were finally meeting.

After taking (what he hoped to be) an unnoticeable deep breath, Sasuke nodded once and climbed out of the car, shutting the door behind himself before walking forward, standing in front of the car. Even with his back to the car, he could feel the two watching not only him, but also their surroundings. It was why Sasuke had asked them to join him today. Originally, he'd called Naruto, but the blond had said he was already busy. So instead Sasuke went to the other two he trusted most. He knew for a fact they would both back him up, should anything go wrong.

He glanced down at his phone, sending a message to pass the time.

**Avenger–S:** _I'm here._

Only half a minute later did he get his reply.

**Fall–of–the–Blossom:** _Me too._

This was it, he realised.

He was about to meet her.

_Fall–of–the–Blossom._

* * *

"He's here," Sakura whispered, the butterflies coming back with a vengeance. "He's here!"

"You ready, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked with an encouraging smile and, in the backseat, Hinata looked at her with the same smile as Naruto.

Without answering, she took a deep breath and opened the car door, climbing out and fixing her dress as she did so.

This was it.

She was about to meet _Avenger–S_.

* * *

**A/N - I'm not at college today and have absolutely nothing better to do, so I decided to update. I was at the doctors earlier, having what they called a 'minor operation', although I wouldn't really call it that. After all, it's only ended with a couple of stitches and it hadn't hurt in the slightest! Now I'm home alone with an entire day to just relax. I'll probably try and get more writing done, but will most likely do my assignments or watch Netflix.**

**Anyways! Mixed reactions last chapter. Some of you liked the little video chat between them, while others found it disturbing. Don't forget that they're both seventeen and wanted to try it out! And nowadays, so many people are doing things like that. That's why I put that in there, because it's realistic. Not going to lie, I've tried sexting (although not the video chat part) and I don't really see what the bug fuss is about it. I was comfortable with it, it honestly made me feel more confident and it just doesn't bother me at all in a negative way. But that's my own opinion and everyone is entitled to one, which is why I understand if some of you don't agree with what they did.**

**I won't be updating on Wednesday since I updated today. Also, there won't be an update for Setting Sun this week, as I haven't finished the chapter yet (kind of stuck, to be honest).**


	6. Not What I Was Expecting

**Chapter 6 – Not What I Was Expecting**

It was safe to say that her heart was pounding. Not just thumping, not only skipping beats and going ridiculously fast, but actually pounding away in her chest, to the point where Sakura was certain she needed to see a doctor, because surely this wasn't healthy? Part of her wanted to run through the car park and search for him, while the other–

There he was.

Her pounding heart stopped momentarily and she paused in her walk, though forced herself to keep going.

There he was. Tall with dark hair and leaning ever so slightly on his right leg, tapping away on what she presumed to be his phone. His back was to her and his head was tilted away, making Sakura bite her lower lip with anticipation.

However, the closer she got, a strange, twisting feeling filled her stomach, only growing worse by the second.

What…?

She knew this guy from somewhere. That was what her mind was telling her, though her heart would hear none of it. And now, standing in the chilly car park, lit up only with natural light considering it was still early in the afternoon, Sakura was beginning to wonder if this was such a good idea after all. Her gut instinct had rarely ever been wrong before.

Narrowing her eyes, Sakura walked forward calmly. This was definitely _Avenger–S_, as he was wearing a blue shirt and black jeans, exactly what he'd told her he'd be wearing. But as Sakura finally approached him, finally stood behind him, _Avenger–S_ shifted every so slightly, his hair immediately sending a lightning bolt of recognition through her.

She only knew one person with hair that stuck up at the back.

The smile that had appeared to be permanently on Sakura's face for the past couple of hours faltered as she saw who _Avenger–S_ actually was.

Uchiha Sasuke.

_Uchiha fucking Sasuke._

"You've got to be kidding me."

He seemed just as stunned as her as he turned around quickly, almost dropping his phone as he took in her red dress. "…_Sakura_?"

"Is this some kind of joke?" she demanded, feeling absolutely humiliated and stupid and _fuck_! What the hell? "Please tell me you're not actually _Avenger–S_."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously. "You're not the only one who's surprised."

"I'm not the one who was pretending to be a completely different person!"

"Weren't you?"

A humourless laugh burst out of her before she could even stop it. "No. You don't know me. We were friends for about a year before you decided I wasn't good enough to be your friend anymore." His eyes widened a fraction, but just as he was about to speak, she cut him off. "Bye, Sasuke."

"Wait. You're just walking away? What about all the stuff you said–"

She whirled around, glaring at him angrily, but what stunned him the most were the tears in her eyes. "What about it?" Sakura shook her head. "None of it even matters now. You made it perfectly clear that you hate me, that I annoy you."

"We were twelve!"

"And you think it makes much of a difference now? You hated me back then."

"You hate me now," he muttered. "I guess I'm the guy you're always complaining about."

"Yeah, you are." She sighed irritably, glaring down at her feet for a moment before she was looking back up at him. "Delete those pictures I sent you and we can just… pretend like none of this happened. We'll go back to ignoring each other." There was a pause. "Is that why you're trying so hard to actually speak with me now? Because you want something out of it?"

Sasuke honestly couldn't help but stare at her in shock. However not a second later, his eyes were narrowing once more with his own vicious glare. "What the hell did I do to make you hate me so much? I get that I was a dick to you when we were kids, but that's the point! We were just kids. I did anything and everything I could back then to please my father." When he was met by silence, Sasuke's eyes narrowed further. "I came here because I was willing to try. For you. The only person acting like a dick right now is _you_, Sakura."

She nodded, averting her eyes and glaring at the car park wall. "_You're pathetic, Sakura. A waste of my time. If I keep hanging around with you, you're going to drag me down to your level and if that happens, I'll be a disappointment to everybody._" Her eyebrows knitted together as she heard his sharp intake of breath. "_Please, Sasuke-kun. I love you with all my heart. I'd do anything for you_!" She chuckled humourlessly, a single tear slipping down her cheek. "_Tch. You're so annoying._" Sakura's eyes snapped up to his. "You wonder why I hate you? How about the fact that you knocked my confidence _so low_ that it never came back up? How about all of my friends abandoning me when I needed them most, because you kicked me out of that 'popular group', huh?"

"Sakura…"

Yanking her hand away from his when he reached out for it, she spat at him, "No. Leave me the hell alone."

Instead of taking the hint that she didn't want to be touched, Sasuke once again grabbed her hand and pulled her forward, capturing her lips with his.

But then she was ripping away from him and her hand was lashing out, slapping him harshly across the face.

"Bye, Sasuke-_kun_."

* * *

The two in the car jumped as Sakura all but ripped the door open and climbed in, slamming it shut after herself. She was trembling, but whether it was because of anger or of sadness, they couldn't tell immediately.

It was when a tear slipped down her cheek that they knew it was the latter.

"Sakura-chan," Naruto murmured with a frown, both he and Hinata having witnessed the whole thing. "I'm–"

"Don't say it." She choked on her own sob, turning away from them both and furiously wiping at her eyes. "_Don't_."

He exchanged a look with Hinata via the mirror, only to see her sadly shake her head, silently telling him to start driving. While he wanted nothing more than to go and speak with Sasuke, to demand what the hell was going on and whether or not this was all just a joke he played on her, Naruto knew he shouldn't. Not only that, but he'd seen Sasuke's reaction to Sakura. He'd seriously been expecting someone else. Like Sakura, both Naruto and Hinata had seen his expression fall, no matter how blank it was _supposed_ to be.

Narrowing his blue eyes, Naruto watched as Sasuke turned towards them and made his way to the car that was three rows in front of his own. If he wasn't mistaken, then that was Itachi's car. Damn. It seemed Itachi had had front row seats to the whole thing that just went down, whereas he and Hinata had only seen expressions and movement. Naruto wondered what had been said, but most of all, he wondered what it meant for Sasuke to reach out to Sakura like he had done. As far as he was aware of, Sasuke had never initiated physical contact and preferred not to be touched by anyone, so for him to reach out to Sakura, to _kiss her_–

"Naruto-kun," Hinata murmured, leaning forward and boldly touching his shoulder. He did his best to ignore the shaking of her hand. Sakura had explained to him not too long ago that the Hyuuga had an anxiety disorder. "Perhaps it would be best that we leave now?"

Gritting his teeth against the urge to get out the car and demand answers out of Sasuke, Naruto nodded once, waiting for Hinata to buckle in once more before he was leaving the car park, heading straight to Sakura's home.

* * *

That was…

Itachi didn't look at his cousin even though he felt Shisui's eyes on his features.

Brutal.

It had honestly been brutal to watch. Not only for Sasuke, but for Haruno Sakura, also. He inwardly debated on whether or not he should get out of the car and go to Sasuke, for his younger brother seemed to be in shock as he stared after Sakura. However, just as Sakura breezed past the car, holding a shaking hand to her trembling lips, Sasuke's eyes slid to the car beside her, meeting Itachi's.

The confused, pained look instantly vanished and if it weren't for the harsh redness of his cheek, it would have been impossible to guess what just happened. Why would Sasuke hide himself from his older brother? Itachi refrained from frowning.

Instead of looking back to Sakura, who had now disappeared into a car somewhere behind them, Sasuke made his way over to them, shoving his hands in his pockets as he did so.

"Itachi?"

He glanced over at his cousin.

"What just happened? I remember that girl. She was in an assembly–"

There wasn't time to continue or for Itachi to answer because Sasuke was suddenly opening the car door and sliding in, shutting it firmly after himself. A faint twitch was in his left eye, Itachi vaguely noticed from the rear view mirror and now that they were closer, the cheek Sakura had slapped looked much worse. He honestly wouldn't even be surprised if it bruised, considering the strength she'd put behind it (Sasuke's head had literally snapped to the side).

"Sasuke…"

"Just drive, Nii-san," he muttered, watching as Naruto's car pulled out of the car park, suddenly realising that _that_ was why the blond was busy.

Itachi regarded him for a moment longer before sighing and starting the car.

* * *

"Sakura-san?" Hinata called as she helped the other girl up the stairs to her apartment, Naruto a few steps in front of them since the elevator was out of order. Hopefully, Mebuki would be home.

No answer.

Since leaving the car park, Sakura had been silent. There had been an awkward moment when Itachi's car pulled up beside Naruto's at the traffic lights, both she and Naruto glancing over at Shisui and Itachi, who in return, looked straight back at them. Sakura had refused to raise her head and, from the looks of things, so had Sasuke. Only half a minute later and Shisui was muttering something to Itachi, just as Naruto began muttering under his breath. Thankfully it hadn't lasted too long and they were going in their different directions.

It had taken them at least fifteen minutes to arrive at the apartment and every single minute, every single second that ticked by, Hinata could honestly say that she felt like her heart was breaking for Sakura. After all those excited smiles, after the barely restrained grins and squeals, the nervousness that had threatened to consume her completely…

_Avenger–S_ turning out to be Uchiha Sasuke had to be torture for her.

Pitifully, Sakura wiped at her eyes, uncaring of her make up and allowing Hinata to guide her safely up the stairs to the third floor. There were a few pauses along the way as she had to find Sakura's keys to open the first door on the ground floor (which refused entry to anybody without a key or permission from one of the apartments), but eventually they made it.

Naruto accepted the keys when they were held out to him and opened the door just as silently as they had walked, stepping aside and pushing it open so that the two girls could go first. His blue eyes saddened at the raw pain in his best friend's eyes, wanting nothing more than to take it away.

"_Sakura? Is that you?"_

Naruto quickly slipped off his shoes and left the hallway, going through the archway that led them to the living room. It would be best to give Mebuki some warning before she saw the state of Sakura and presumed the worst. Worrying her would only bring forth more questions and then Sakura would have to sit through them all and answer. After all, she was dressed in her best dress, leaning against Hinata and _crying_. There could be several reasons for that.

The moment Hinata removed her own shoes and set them beside Naruto's (straightening his out as she did so), she stood up straight and watched Sakura for a moment before sighing and helping her with her shoes, also. It took all of two seconds considering they were simply flats and when they were done, she was leading her into the living room, where it looked as though Naruto had finished informing Mebuki of what happened.

Said blonde turned to face the two girls, her eyes saddening at the sight of her daughter. "Sakura."

Sakura's bottom lip trembled, her features scrunching up as she threw herself into the woman's arms. "M–Mom…"

* * *

The Uchiha home was silent as the three men entered, though considering that both of their parents' cars were in the garage, they knew the home was not empty.

Sasuke barely registered that fact and when his mother stepped out of the kitchen, beginning to walk towards them down the oversized hallway, he ignored her. He ignored Shisui opening his mouth, about to tell him it was rude to dismiss his own mother in such a way. He ignored Mikoto calling after him. He ignored Itachi murmuring for them to give him time to be by himself.

_Fall–of–the–Blossom_ was… Haruno Sakura.

How could that even be possible? The two of them seemed like completely different people!

…Whatever.

As soon as he entered his room, Sasuke shut the door silently and made his way over to his bed, collapsing backwards onto it.

Sakura made it pretty clear that she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him and Sasuke honestly couldn't blame her for it. Like she had said earlier: he was a dick. All those times he'd snapped at her, told her that she was annoying and then eventually dismissed her completely, effectively making her the most unpopular kid in school. He… He deserved her anger.

Sasuke hadn't even remembered what he'd previously said to her until she brought it up, until she was spitting the words at him with tears in her eyes and now… Now he couldn't forget them. They kept repeating themselves in his mind and all he could picture was what her expression must have been like when _he_ said those words to her.

His eyebrows mashed together, causing his features to be marred by a scowl. Why was this effecting him so much? Why was he even bothered? It was only Haruno Sakura. He had never allowed her to bother him so much before. It was only–

There was no 'only'.

Anger washed over him when he felt tears of frustration stinging his eyes.

He'd lost _Fall–of–the–Blossom_.

What was he supposed to do now?

* * *

**A/N - Since this chapter is so short, and the last one got so many reviews, I decided to post it today as a treat for you all.**

**Honestly, I've been feeling really stressed lately because of college and the fact I've been entered into an exam I have no hopes in passing, which means I'll have to pay to resit. There's not only that, though. There's also the piles of assignments and then the amendments and resubmissions. Before this year at college, due to personal reasons, I refused to leave the house at all for two whole years. I just couldn't bring myself to go out. And now, I'm at college from Monday to Friday. Some days I'm there from 8-5 (not including travelling).**

**I'm just exhausted all the time and during the break, all I did was sleep and even now, I'm still exhausted. The stress is getting to me so much that I can just about eat one meal a day, my skin has broken out in horrible, painful spots and my hair has been falling out. Writing these stories actually makes me feel a little better because, as cheesy and cliché as it sounds, I get lost in them. Like, I feel as though I'm living in the stories, instead of out there.**

**I'm eighteen, going on nineteen in a few months, and I can't do what all other people my age are doing. I can't go out with friends, I can't go out and do the things they do, all because I'm worried about this year and the fact that, if I fail even a single class in my course, then I can't go on to do my a-levels. So basically, it's like those two years being stuck in my home, in my room. Only this time, I've got the added stress of college and coursework and exams.**

**I've taken another day off college and I'm going to try and speak to my personal tutor tomorrow or Thursday about the stress. We get this thing called a bursary in my college, which is £70 a month if our attendance is over 95% (which mine most likely isn't anymore) so either way, I'm going to have to speak to her about it. It's just so awkward to talk about it in person, though! I'm the type of girl who shies away from stuff like that and who prefers to stay in the back, quiet, than have all the attention on me. It makes me so uncomfortable.**

**ANYWAY. Sorry about the rant. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I might surprise you all with another chapter some time this week, but that depends ;-)**


	7. You Broke It, Now Fix It

**Chapter 7 – You Broke It, Now Fix It**

She was _Fall–of–the–Blossom_.

Her.

Not for the first time, Sasuke demanded to know how the hell that was even possible. They weren't alike in the slightest. From what he could remember of her, Sakura was the kind of girl who demanded all attention be on her. She was needy and dependent. Smart, yes, but she had never put that brain of hers to use. Not in a way that mattered.

At least, not until he broke her heart.

Sasuke continued to watch her from his place in the corridor, leaning casually against his locker while she rummaged through her own.

By the looks of things, she hadn't been getting much sleep. Also today it seemed Sakura had forgone wearing makeup, deciding instead on a natural look. Even though her eye colour didn't appear as dramatic without all that black eye makeup around her eyes, they were still a nice shade, Sasuke decided after a few moments. From his place across the corridor, he couldn't see any blemishes on her pale skin. All she really had were dark circles around her eyes.

He couldn't remember the last time Sakura hadn't worn any makeup. Not recently, anyway. Her short hair was thrown up into a high ponytail, the shortness of it and the layers in her hair causing the ponytail to be spiky, though it seemed to bounce with every step she took. That was something he'd noticed when she first made her way over to her locker.

But still…

_This_ was _Fall–of–the–Blossom_?

This was the woman – or girl – who'd told him so many private things over instant messenger? This was the girl who–

It took everything to force down Sasuke's sudden need to blush.

How could he have forgotten all that they'd done over video chat? Not just that, but…

Taking out his phone, Sasuke glanced over his shoulder, making sure that nobody was behind him before he was searching through his images, stopping when he reached a certain collection.

The nail varnish.

In all of the pictures _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ had sent to him, she was wearing green nail varnish – the shade matching Sakura's eyes. Every time he crossed paths with Sakura, she was also always wearing the exact same shade of nail varnish. Right now she was. How could he have missed that? Well, he hadn't. It had bugged him for quite a while before meeting her in person.

Sasuke's eyes drifted from his phone, nonchalantly looking Sakura up and down.

How could he have missed _those legs_?

They were long yet toned, making it obvious that Sakura worked out or at least went for a run to keep fit. Then again, _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ had told him that she took self-defence classes, so perhaps that would be the reason behind Sakura being in such good shape. It was so… surreal knowing that he had seen her in one of her most private moments, knowing how her back arched and her hips bucked and her legs quivered when she–

Those thoughts had to stop.

Locking his phone, he shoved it into his pocket.

It had been four days since their meeting. In that time neither of them had attempted to contact the other. Hell, Sasuke hadn't logged into his instant messenger once. The only reason he'd used that stupid account in the first place was to talk to her. Yes, the account had been active for years but until he met _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ on their online game, it had been unused. Sasuke simply didn't see the point in it since he grew bored of conversations quickly.

So… What happened now?

Pushing his hands into his trouser pockets, Sasuke continued to watch Sakura, even as a dark haired girl appeared beside her and glanced over her shoulder, like those pale eyes didn't even need to actually look at him to know that he was there and watching them. Considering the colour of her eyes (for they all had the same, strange eye colour), Sasuke was guessing that she was a Hyuuga. Probably one of Neji's cousins, since he had no siblings. Neji also had a creepy sixth sense and he also knew when he was being watched, or anything of the sort.

The female Hyuuga murmured something to Sakura when she turned back to face her and instantly, Sakura's head snapped up, green eyes meeting dark, before she quickly looked away and hurriedly closed her bag. She was saying something to the Hyuuga, looking angry as she did so and then a second later, she was slamming her locker door shut, causing the other girl to jump.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

Why was Sakura always angry?

Without making eye contact, without even acknowledging Sasuke's existence, Sakura turned on her heel and stormed down the corridor, her friend a few steps behind her.

Whenever he heard something about Sakura around school, it always involved her being angry. That, or getting angry. It made it seem like she was never calm. Why? It hadn't always been like that. Sure, when they were younger and during their year of friendship, she'd called Naruto a few names and had hit him over the head a few times, but the blond was an idiot. And they were the only times she ever got angry.

It took a lot to hide his frown.

Had he done that to her?

Yes, Sasuke knew for a fact that he'd hurt her by kicking her out of the group, by ending their friendship and leaving her all alone. And yes, he knew he'd broken her heart. But just what exactly had his actions done to her? For a while after that day, Sakura had stuck to herself. He hadn't seen her around much (which at the time had been a blessing, since he hadn't wanted to see her), not in the hallways, not in the cafeteria and not outside on the fields. Later Sasuke had discovered she stuck to the library, throwing herself completely into her studies.

That was all he knew, really. Well, that and she made friends with Sabaku Gaara, though Sasuke had believed that to be because she was lashing out, trying to make him jealous, especially when he heard of their relationship. Apparently, that wasn't true. Why? Because on Sabaku Gaara's last day, just before he moved back to Suna, he'd passed them in the corridor and Sakura had been crying in his arms, telling him how much she was going to miss him.

The part that surprised him the most, the part that told him the friendship was real, was Gaara's reaction, how instead of being the guy he usually was around school (violent, intimidating and downright unpleasant to have a conversation with), he held her tighter, whispering something in her ear that Sasuke hadn't been able to make out.

Sasuke's eyes fell to the ground when Sakura disappeared in the sea of students, turning onto a different corridor.

For some reason, it felt strange thinking of her in the arms of another. Was that because she was _Fall–of–the–Blossom_? It certainly couldn't be because she was Haruno Sakura. Sasuke would remember feeling this… weird sensation in the pit of his stomach, wouldn't he?

"Sasuke."

His eyes lifted from the ground, grey-black clashing with blue.

He'd been waiting for this conversation and was surprised it took so long.

"What do you want, Naruto?"

"Don't…" The blond shook his head, seeming angered yet keeping himself in control. "Don't play dumb. You know what I'm going to ask."

Sasuke sighed in response. There was no use in trying to get a rise out of Naruto. It would only lead in their conversation becoming violent and the last thing Sasuke needed right at that moment in time was the headmaster contacting his father. "I didn't set all this up, if that's what you're asking," he told Naruto. "I was just as surprised as Sakura was."

A pause. Blue eyes narrowing as blond eyebrows furrowed, before Naruto also sighed and turned to face forward, leaning back against the lockers and staring ahead of himself instead of at Sasuke. "She's really hurting, Sasuke," he murmured quietly. "Her mom said she hasn't seen Sakura this upset in years, not since her dad left."

Her father.

_Fall–of–the–Blossom_'s father had been violent with her, with her mother.

He also leaned back against the lockers, though for an entirely different reason. While Naruto was feeling exhausted and worried for his friend, Sasuke was stunned, nearly breathless. Sakura's father had…

How could he have forgotten such a thing?

According to _Fall–of–the–Blossom_, the night her father attacked her mother (that she'd witnessed and had also been struck), had been around her thirteenth birthday. Extremely close to the day Sasuke had more or less told her to get lost. He felt sick. Not only had Sakura lost all of her friends, but she had also lost the man she'd admired growing up. No he hadn't died or gone missing, however, her father had turned out to be somebody completely different to the man she'd idolised.

And nobody at school had noticed a thing.

How could that even be possible? Surely _somebody_ must have noticed the difference! Maybe that was why Sakura was so angry? Because of all she'd been through? And the fact that the only person she could confide in, was her mother?

"I still don't get what happened." Naruto sighed. "Kizashi always seemed like a good guy to me, you know? They seemed like a happy family! Lived in a big house, always going out together on family days and holidays. They had a cat, too! But now they're living in some small apartment and can just about afford it with her mom working two jobs. I don't get what happened!"

Not even Naruto knew, Sasuke realised, refusing to show how shocked he actually was. Sakura used to tell Naruto _everything_.

Was he the only one who knew?

Naruto's head fell back against the lockers, turning ever so slightly to give Sasuke a frown. "She's going to Suna in a few months, you know."

"…I know."

"Her mom thinks it'll be good for her. Plus, Gaara's out there, so it's not like she'll be alone."

He remained silent.

"Sasuke…" the blond growled. "What are you going to do?"

What was he going to do?

* * *

"Sakura-san…"

"I'm fine," Sakura muttered, glancing over her shoulder and sighing in relief when she didn't spot the Uchiha. "I just… I feel _so angry_ when I look at him, Hinata. The things I told _Avenger–S_… What if Sasuke uses them against me?"

Frowning, Hinata looked around them before pulling Sakura to the side of the corridor, away from any eavesdroppers. "Why would he do that?"

"Because… Because he's Uchiha Sasuke!" Despite her attempt at staying calm, Sakura snapped and she regretted it instantly when Hinata flinched, moving back ever so slightly. She took a deep, calming breath. "I'm sorry. I feel so stressed and–"

The Hyuuga offered her a small smile. "I–I understand, Sakura-san. But you should remember: people can change."

Not always. Not everyone had the ability in them, the strength, to change. Just looking at her father told Sakura that. Just thinking of him brought forth the memory of the night she saw him hurting Mebuki, of the night he hurt _her_. It also reminded her of the incident not too long ago, when Kizashi had come to visit them and tried to get Sakura to meet his new woman. He'd been rough with her then, too.

But… Sasuke was not her father.

But that didn't mean he could change.

Once more, Sakura sighed.

What was she supposed to do? It was horrible having to see Uchiha Sasuke every day, especially after all she'd shared with _Avenger–S_. Not only what she'd said, but what she had done and… Oh Gods, it made her feel disgusted with herself. How could she have stripped on video chat to him? How could she have touched herself and watched him touch himself and just–

"Sakura-san," Hinata spoke softly, frowning ever so slightly, "it does no good to overthink. You are only upsetting yourself."

She was right, but it was impossible not to overthink.

Hopefully, Sasuke had at least a tiny shred of decency within himself and had listened to her. Hopefully, he had deleted those pictures she had sent to him. Sakura hoped more than anything that he had, and that he wouldn't be like other guys who had no problem with sharing those kinds of pictures of their ex.

Wait.

Was Sasuke her ex?

No, no he wasn't. They weren't in an official relationship. She and _Avenger–S_ had merely messed around on video chat and sent nudes, had told each other what they wanted to do to the other. At the memory of those words, Sakura's cheeks burned with shame and embarrassment. Surely, Sasuke would not share those pictures and messages with others? Surely, he would just do as she asked (demanded) and delete them?

There was no true way of knowing until it was done.

She just hoped it wouldn't happen.

"I'm hungry." Sakura demanded herself to stop thinking about Sasuke and about _Avenger–S_. Whatever had been going on, or had been growing, was now dead to her. It was over. She couldn't risk being hurt again like last time. Last time, it was like Sasuke had so much power over her and his words had shattered her childish, innocent heart. How could she trust somebody like that? Somebody she would have given everything and anything to, only to have them turn around and tell her to get lost when they were bored of her? "Are you?"

Hinata paused for a moment, surprised by the randomness of her words, before smiling at Sakura and nodding once.

* * *

"You're going to fight for her!"

Narrowing his eyes with annoyance, Sasuke glanced up at the blond idiot who was bouncing around. They had spent another couple of minutes in the corridor after Sakura left before also leaving themselves to go outside. Sure, it was quite cold, but they had half an hour to kill and there was no way Sasuke was staying in the hallways until lessons started. It was already packed and would only continue to grow more so when other students began arriving.

"What?"

"Sakura-chan. You can fight for her!"

Fight for her? For _Haruno Sakura_?

"Sasuke," Naruto growled and dropped beside him on the stone bench he was sat on. There was the instinctual flinch when he sat on the cold stone, but after a moment, he hesitantly sat back down, relaxing after a short while. "Sakura-chan really liked that _Avenger–S_ guy and I can tell that you like _Fall–of–the–Blossom_. What's the difference between you both?"

The difference was that every time Sakura looked at him, it was obvious she wanted to punch him in the face. However, when they were talking online and didn't know each other's identities, she'd had no trouble with opening up to him, opening up her heart to him. _That_ was the difference. She wanted to hurt Uchiha Sasuke, but she wanted to love _Avenger–S_.

Maybe love was a bit over the top? Who knows. From what he could remember of the younger Sakura's personality, she'd been a hopeless romantic and was always spewing some crap about falling in love.

"You haven't even given each other a chance," the blond muttered to him, his brows furrowing. "That's a bad habit of Sakura-chan's, I know. But you… Well, you're an Uchiha. I guess that sort of explains it all."

Sasuke scowled.

"First there was Gaara. Sakura-chan thought he was a troublemaker and didn't want to waste her time on him. She didn't want to acknowledge that he was my friend and instead blindly followed you. Since you hated Gaara, Sakura-chan supposed she hated him, too. They were friends as soon as she got to know him and saw he's a great guy." Naruto paused and leaned back, looking up into the grey sky. "Then there was Rock Lee. She didn't like him at all. Not only because of his obsessive crush on her and his _need_ to protect her, but also his appearance. Sakura-chan refused to be friends with somebody who had eyebrows as big as he does."

Sasuke's scowl deepened. Why was Naruto trying to make her sound like a shitty person, with a shitty personality? Sakura wasn't like that at all!

"But because Lee's persistent, because he can take a few insults without batting an eye, they eventually became friends. He got under her skin just like Gaara did."

Rock Lee was… Sasuke thought back on the faces he knew. Vaguely, he could recall Hyuuga Neji being friends with a guy called Rock Lee. They were in the year above them, though, so had obviously left school now considering this was Sasuke's last year.

"I'm not sure how she became friends with Hinata, though," Naruto said after a minute or so of thinking about it. "All I know is that Hinata has anxiety problems that make her stutter and nervous and–"

"And anxious." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Yeah! And I think Sakura-chan said that Hinata sometimes has fainting spells if she gets overly anxious. That or some kind of attack." Shrugging, he then said in a much quieter voice, "I think they're all the friends Sakura-chan has. Not including me, of course."

That was… Only three friends? But… Inwardly, Sasuke frowned. When he'd been friends with Sakura, she was like a social butterfly. Always so kind and friendly with so many people drawing towards her because of that personality. Sure, her anger had probably put quite a few people off, but not everybody would have been that uncertain of her. What about Yamanaka Ino? She and Ino had been best friends for years! Was Sakura no longer friends with her?

Then again, Ino was a little… unusual, nowadays. Too much drama had gotten to her head, Sasuke presumed. Like Sakura, Ino no longer followed him around as one of his many persistent fan-girls (it was immediately after he'd told Sakura to get lost, most likely realising that he wasn't as great as she'd thought he was). No, she instead stuck rather close to Sai, who was held back a year for some reason (none of them really knew why, although Sasuke had a feeling it was due to his inability to interact like the rest of them). Ino was now one of those girls who had all their hair in their face and wore heavy eye makeup and lipstick. Like Sai always wore black, she always wore purple. There was also a look in her eyes when she stared you straight in the eye, like she knew exactly what you were thinking, even if you weren't fully aware of that fact yourself.

No. Sasuke inwardly chided himself. This was why it had been boring when Naruto left, but also good. When with Naruto, his mind had an awful habit of doing its own thing. For example, coming up with absurd _things_ such as Ino's apparent ability to read minds.

Anyway! What had he been thinking about?

Ah. Sakura and her friends.

It seemed that, as well as stripping her of her 'popular' title, Sakura's anger had also played a part in people avoiding her. It was true that nobody wanted to be seen with a reject, with somebody who was once fairly close to Uchiha Sasuke, only to be thrown away when she proved to be useless, but also, nobody wanted to hang around with a girl who clearly had some unresolved anger issues.

He hid his frown.

She really needed to work on that anger of hers.

Sasuke was still able to fully remember the feeling of her slap, of having his head snapping harshly to the side and a horrible, bright red mark was left on his face for hours. That red mark soon faded and thankfully, there was no bruising. It still hurt, though. Not that he'd admit it out loud, but to himself, Sasuke would admit that the slap hurt. Enough so that his cheek had still been throbbing the day after.

"You kissed her."

His eyes immediately met Naruto's, widening a fraction as they did so. Could the idiot read his mind now or something?

Naruto leaned forward with a knowing smirk, one that only continued to grow wider with his next words. "Uchiha Sasuke kissed Haruno Sakura!"

"Shut up."

"You kissed Sakura-chan!"

"Shut up, Naruto!"

The smirk slipped away and Naruto tilted his head to the side, frowning at Sasuke. "Do you regret it? I mean, if she didn't slap you and actually kissed you back, would you regret it?"

He refused to answer. Instead he stared Naruto down until the blond sighed.

"Just tell me one thing."

Reluctantly, Sasuke nodded once, already knowing that he was going to regret it.

"Would you fight for Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto–"

"Forget the whole _Avenger–S_ and _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ mess – or whatever the hell it actually is. Admit it! You guys managed to have real conversations, where you actually connected and shit." Once more, Sasuke reluctantly nodded. "And you _enjoyed_ those conversations." Again, he nodded. "Sakura-chan's… Yeah, she's scary and has really bad anger sometimes, but… She's still Sakura-chan. She's still the girl you hurt. She still has that big heart. The one _you broke_. _Twice_."

This time, Sasuke shook his head and finally broke eye contact, instead choosing to look at absolutely nothing. Other than themselves, there weren't too many other students outdoors and it was mostly due to the weather. It was only a bit chilly, but the grey sky was enough to make them stay indoors just in case rain began to lash down on them. There were a few others like himself and Naruto, though. They stayed away, however, choosing to stand in their own groups and leaving the two of them alone.

When Naruto didn't continue, the Uchiha took the chance of looking at him, only to wish almost instantly that he hadn't. It was rare when the blond was being serious, when he had that pained, serious look in his blue eyes. It was the sort of look that made you feel like a terrible excuse of a human being if you argued with him, because for some reason, when he had that look in his eyes, Naruto _was never wrong_.

That thought was secretly terrifying.

"She cried for hours, you know," he muttered and the look in his blue eyes pinned Sasuke, refusing to break eye contact. "Both times. When she was twelve years old and only four days ago. Well, I think she cried a hell of a lot more when she was twelve, but it only shows that she's hardened, right?" He received no answer, prompting him to continue. "Look, Sasuke. You're my best friend, but so is Sakura-chan. And she's hurting so much right now and it's killing me that there's nothing I can do about it. I get that you didn't mean to hurt her this time, but that doesn't change the fact that she _is_ hurting."

He narrowed his eyes to the point of them being near slits and when he spoke again, his voice had a shake to it, absolutely stunning Sasuke. "Hinata and I tried to calm her down, but she couldn't even get up the stairs by herself. We had to help her up them and from there, things only got worse. She couldn't open the door. Couldn't take her own shoes off. Hinata had to do all of that for her. The only thing Sakura-chan could do, was run to her mom like she was just a kid. A lonely kid who's just had her heart broken again by the same guy. And after that, she just… All she could do was lay there."

Naruto shook his head slowly, appearing distressed. "I'd take Sakura-chan's _violent_ and explosive anger over that state I saw her in _any day_."

It took a lot to try and disguise the hard lump he swallowed.

He'd done that to Sakura? To _Fall–of–the–Blossom_?

No. They were the same person.

"You broke her heart twice, Sasuke." Naruto narrowed his eyes once more. "Now, you're going to fix it, even if it kills you." There was still a bit of Naruto in there, for he suddenly smirked. "And it probably will – well, Sakura-chan probably will. You just have to be persistent!"

Fight for her.

_Fight for her._

"You have to get to know her again! I swear, Sasuke, Sakura-chan's a really good person when you get to know her. She really cares! All you have to do is…"

Sasuke tuned him out, thinking back on all the things he knew about Haruno Sakura, using all the information he acquired while speaking to her when she was _Fall–of–the–Blossom_. What could he do to make her speak with him, or to just hear him out? Talking to her over instant messenger was no use, for she could simply block or delete him from her contacts – or at the very least, ignore him. It also wouldn't be sincere enough for a girl who was as hopeless a romantic as Sakura was. There was also no use in approaching her in person, considering her reaction earlier.

What could–

His eyes widened as an idea struck him.

There was something Sakura couldn't resist, something that made her so unbelievably angry that she _had_ to get involved.

It was risky, but…

He had a plan.

* * *

**A/N - You're all amazing. Seventeen reviews for the last chapter? Wow. Thank you all so much!**

**Like some of you suggested, I spoke to my mum about feeling stressed and she said she's noticed that I haven't been eating as much and that she's been keeping an eye on what I do eat. Apparently, if it got to a really worrying stage, she was going to speak with college about possibly allowing me a few days off, just until I'm feeling less stressed. She seemed really glad that I spoke with her about it, too.**

**Also, since I went back today, me and my friend joined a few things at college where we can catch up on work with the tutors there, so they can help us if we're stuck on anything. According to them, they hadn't even realised I was stressed since I'm doing so well with my work. For my finance, ICT and enterprise, I'm doing really well, so all I really have to worry about is my maths and making sure I keep my grade by revising more and asking for help when I need it.**

**Good luck to the people who said they have exams this week! I'm not sure if it was this story or B,B&amp;H, but for the people who said it's their birthdays on Friday and Monday, happy birthday!**

**Again, thank you all for your kind reviews and messages! They really mean a lot to me and I'm very grateful for all the tips and advice you left for me.**

**All of you should go and watch this (**/watch?v=8Tc7MH5ZXbg**)! I feel like it describes me so accurately hahaha!**


	8. No More Schemes

**Chapter 8 – No More Schemes**

A tear slipped down her cheek at the last message she received.

_**Sabaku–no–Gaara has signed out.**_

So… That was it, then.

Also signing out, Sakura switched off her laptop and put it away, grabbing her school bag once she had.

It had been days since she last checked her instant messenger, so she had checked it that morning in case any messages had been left for her. A part of her had been foolishly hoping _Avenger–S_ would be online and that he would tell her he hadn't made it, that whoever she had met in his place, was not him. But… That never happened. Instead, Sabaku Gaara had messaged her, asking how she was and why she hadn't been online in a while.

Over a week ago now, it had been her failure of a meeting with _Avenger–S_. Everywhere she went, she saw Sasuke. Either he would be with friends, in class, or alone in the corridors. It didn't matter where he was, because every time she saw him, he saw her, too. And he watched her.

After explaining everything that had happened to Gaara – _everything_ – they had…

Sighing and willing herself to forget about it, Sakura fixed her bag over her shoulder and left her bedroom. Mebuki had already left for work. It would be so easy to just change back into her pyjamas and laze in front of the television all day, stuffing her face with comfort food, but… Once more, Sakura sighed and slipped on her plain black shoes. Doing such a thing would be pointless. In order to _keep_ her offer of working in Suna's hospital over the summer, she had to keep her attendance perfect, as well as her grades.

When Sakura opened her front door, she was surprised by the sight of an Uchiha standing in front of it.

He lowered his fist, having been about to knock on her door. "Sakura-san."

"Uh…" She frowned and stepped outside, closing and locking the door behind her. How had he managed to enter the apartment building? "Can I help you, Itachi-san? I'm kind of on my way to school and I'll miss the bus if–"

"I have come to offer you a ride to school." A pause, one where Sakura's frown deepened and suspicion was so very obvious in her eyes. "We need to talk."

She breathed in shakily. "About?"

No emotion flickered on his features, but the tone of his voice was serious. "You know who I wish to speak with you about."

Sasuke.

"Look," Sakura sighed and began walking towards the elevator (it had been fixed the other day after a nasty fall on the stairs) with Itachi a step behind her, "no offence or anything, Itachi-san, but I'm not really in the mood to talk about him. Sasuke… He made it pretty clear that I'm below him and that I'm a disappointment. He–"

"It does no good to dwell on the past," he cut her off calmly and once they were inside the elevator, he stood by her side, looking down at her. "My brother has changed since he was twelve years old, Sakura-san, as I am sure you have, too."

Yes, Sakura supposed she had changed in quite a few ways. The superficial, judgemental streak within her had been knocked down several pegs by Sabaku Gaara, who had, without a shred of hesitancy or mercy, put her in her place quite a few times over the years. If he didn't agree with what she was doing, he would say it and hold nothing back. That was why he was one of her best friends. He helped her make the right choices and gave a painfully blunt, yet honest opinion when one was needed.

She closed her eyes and sighed, willing away the ache in her heart.

"I haven't come here to fight his battles for him," Itachi continued after a few moments and when the elevator made a dinging sound, the doors sweeping open for them on the ground floor, he was first to leave the small space, leading the way out of the building and to his car. He didn't bother to look behind him to check that Sakura was following him. It was like he knew she would. Or, at least, was hoping she would. "I know that Sasuke is not perfect and I know that he can be the complete opposite of pleasant at times."

When he held the door to the passenger side open for her, Sakura refused to look at Itachi and instead settled on sliding in as proudly as she could, refusing to fully believe what she was about to do. And when the door was shut and Itachi was making his way around the car, sliding into his own seat, he gave a small smirk.

"However, I can tell you truthfully that I have never seen Sasuke behave in the way he has been since I returned home. He has changed from the foolish brat he used to be. He has grown up, in some ways." As he started the engine, Itachi's eyes met hers and he raised an eyebrow. "The fact that you are allowing me to drive you to school means you believe this, too, and you wish to give him a chance."

Once more, Sakura looked away and out of the window, watching the ground beneath them when the car slowly crept forward and they pulled out of the car park, onto the main road. "As _Avenger–S_, Sasuke was… It's hard to believe, but he was a nice person. We talked about things and confided in each other. He's told me so much about his life that it makes me feel like an idiot for not catching onto who he is!" Calming herself, Sakura rubbed her forehead, hoping that she wasn't about to give herself another headache before the day had even begun. "I'll admit that yes, he's changed and yes, he's capable of being a nice person when he wants to be."

Glancing away from the road, Itachi questioned, "Then what is the problem?"

"The problem…" Not for the first time that morning, Sakura sighed. "The problem, Itachi-san, is that I can't trust Sasuke. I wanted, or would have tried, a relationship with _Avenger–S_ because I already trusted him – more than I even wanted to admit to myself. But having him turn out to be Sasuke? The same guy who hurt me so badly when we were younger? How can I trust him now?"

He silently listened to her, watching Sakura out of the corner of his eye before eventually, she heard Itachi sigh. "You will never truly know if you can trust a person until they give you a reason not to." Once more, he looked to Sakura. "But it is as I said: Sasuke has changed and I believe you can learn to trust him once more."

Shaking her head and inwardly screaming with relief when the school came into view, Sakura muttered, "Until he gives me another reason not to."

* * *

School was painful.

It was only the end of the second lesson and already Sakura wanted to go home – no, scratch that. She had wanted to go home the moment she stepped through the doors. Her work was above satisfactory level, but it was obvious Sakura just wasn't feeling it and the first person who realised something was up with her, was her teacher, Iruka. At the end of the double lesson, he had asked to see her for a few moments (which she gratefully accepted, since Sasuke always walked by her class to get to his next) and during those few moments, Iruka asked her how her home life was, and whether or not there was anything school could do to help her feel less stressed, or less lonely.

Don't get her wrong, because Iruka was a great teacher. His teaching methods were stern and he was definitely no pushover, but at the same time, he had a nice side to him and always greeted his classes with smiles, even when he was feeling agitated with them, or he was in a bad mood. However, despite how kind he was, Sakura just wasn't in the mood to open up to Iruka about her teenage drama and heartache. It seemed wrong to do so, since he was her teacher.

So instead, she had smiled patiently before shaking her head, saying she was merely feeling a little under the weather. A cold, perhaps or at worse, the flu. Reluctantly, for he could tell there was more going on than Sakura wanted to share, Iruka had nodded and dismissed her, although wrote down in his planner to keep an eye on her. After all of Sakura's hard work, it would be such a shame if she slipped up and lost her offer at Suna's hospital. It really was a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity.

Noticing the gatherings of a crowd, Sakura glanced to the girl who suddenly appeared by her side (having been waiting for her after their separate classes) and they both sighed in response. If people were rushing to see what was going on, shoving people aside and out of their way to do so, then that could only mean one thing: a fight. The fights were never decent, Sakura noted as she and Hinata continued their way forward, regardless of the fact she pushed people out of their way to do so and when they reached a more difficult part of the crowd, a more unyielding part, she glanced over her shoulder at Hinata and nodded once. In response, soft and dainty hands pressed to her back before pushing Sakura forward more forcefully, keeping a tight hold of her at the same time.

They'd had to do something like this a few times before. The corridors weren't all that big, possibly only ten feet wide at best, so for when fights such as these happened, she and Hinata had come up with a plan. If Sakura couldn't push her way through the crowd, then they would have to work together to do so. Hinata would push Sakura, who would in response bulldoze her way through the crowd with both their strengths. There wasn't a chance of it being the other way around, because Hinata disliked confrontation and should anybody suddenly turn around and demand to know what the hell their problem was, she would be unable to reply. Sakura, however, wouldn't be.

And just as they were meeting the middle part of the crowds, just when they were nearing the fight itself, that was when she heard him.

"_Stop making a scene._"

Sasuke.

When Sakura's body stiffened beneath her hands, Hinata took a chance and turned her to the side, pushing her in a different direction. This direction took them to the centre of the circle and already, even without the voice, Hinata knew who would be in there. After all, she had spoken with Naruto, who had been speaking with none other than Uchiha Sasuke. Sure, she didn't know all the details and she didn't know what to expect, but clearly this was it. This was his plan. The only reason she agreed to it was because she was tired of seeing Sakura hurting. It would be best if they sorted it out now, instead of leaving it until later. That way, they could either put what happened in the past and try to move on, or they could try and fix what had been broken and make a go of it.

"_Making a scene?"_ a loud voice echoed despite the cheering of the crowd.

"_Yes. You're unnecessarily causing more drama than there needs to be, Karin_."

Hinata's eyes narrowed a fraction. She could see already where it was going and there wasn't a doubt in her mind that Sakura would get involved. After all, if there was one thing Sakura hated more than Uchiha Sasuke, more than _anything_, then it was…

As she saw the girl shove Sasuke backwards, something in Sakura snapped and she quickly darted between them and shoved Karin even harder, refusing to show her anger when she heard the other girl slamming into the lockers with a harsh bang. Even though he was Uchiha Sasuke, he was still _Avenger–S_. And even though she was so angry with him right now, Sakura did not want to see him get hurt. Only a second ago did she realise that it would hurt her, too.

"What the hell?" the redhead yelled, clenching her fists tightly as she stepped away from the lockers. "Why are _you_ getting involved?"

"Because this isn't right!" Sakura yelled right back at her, stepping closer to Karin. "He's not going to hit you back and everybody can see that, but everybody knows that _I will_."

There was a falter in Karin's movements as she seemed stuck between taking a step back or a step forward. But a second later her stance strengthened, just like her glare did. In response Sakura stood up straighter, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"You seriously want to fight?" Karin scoffed. "Over him, no less? I'm not Yamanaka. If you want to play rivals, go and find her. This is between me and Sasuke. When was the last time he even spoke to you? A few years ago before he fucked you off for others."

A vicious whip lashed at her heart but Sakura did not show the pain she felt. "We were kids back then. None of that even matters anymore. It doesn't even have anything to do with that! I'd stand up for anybody who was being shoved around like you were just shoving him. _You're nothing but a bully!"_

If there was one thing she absolutely could not stand, it was bullies.

"Sakura–"

"Shut up," she snapped at Sasuke. "This doesn't mean you're forgiven. It simply means that I don't want you to look like an idiot by getting your ass kicked by Karin, of all people."

Karin flushed red. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

Just as she was about to yell back at her, just as her tightly clenched fist raised, Sasuke grabbed her and pulled her away from the crowd, hissing in her ear, "Are you insane? You'll lose your chance at that hospital if you start fighting at school."

Her heart stopped.

A second later it restarted and Sakura pulled her arm out of his hold, but he quickly tightened his hold and dragged her closer. "Don't throw everything away over something like this. You worked too hard for it."

"Let go of me, Sasuke," Sakura demanded as he successfully left the crowds and turned down another corridor, one that held an elevator. Never before had she taken an elevator at school, instead always choosing the stairs since it was the healthier option. That and Hinata didn't particularly like elevators. Gaara hadn't either, because of the small space. It freaked them both out. "I said _let go_!"

They were outside of the elevator once he let go of her, but something was telling Sakura that there was no use in trying to get away now, or trying to avoid him. In the back of her mind, something was nagging at her and it sounded very much like the older Uchiha brother, telling her to hear him out.

"You have until we reach the ground floor to explain to me what the hell just happened," she snapped and stormed into the elevator, barely even giving Sasuke the chance to step in before she was furiously pushing the ground floor button. "And you're going to tell me _exactly_ why I just risked my place at the hospital, so I can see whether or not it was worth it – and it had better be!"

"Sakura." A vicious glare being directed at him had his eyes narrowing. "Stop acting like a child. And quit pressing the button. You're going to–"

The elevator suddenly shuddered, the lights flickering a few times before they went out.

She did the first thing she could think of.

Sakura reached out and grabbed Sasuke, shoving her face into his shoulder and barely holding back her whimper of fear.

"It's okay," he muttered, sounding strangely surprised. "It's just stuck. The lights must have stopped working, too." When nothing was said in reply, when Sakura merely held on tighter, he frowned. "Are you afraid of the dark?"

It took everything in her to hold back the sudden urge to scream or cry. "You don't need to say it like it's the most pathetic thing you've ever heard!"

There was a shake in her voice, one that stunned him. "You're afraid of the dark."

Sakura pushed away from him until her back hit the wall of the elevator and she slid down it, holding her head in her hands and taking deep breaths. "Not the actual dark," she whispered, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I just… I don't like the unpredictability of it."

Listening to her voice, Sasuke carefully made his way over to her, patting the wall for a second before he was joining Sakura on the floor, sitting by her side. "Does it have anything to do with your father?"

Even in the dark he could feel her glare.

"Don't talk to me about that."

"You already told–"

"I told _Avenger–S_, not Uchiha Sasuke," she spat in return.

Sasuke sighed. "This is getting really old, Sakura. I _am_ _Avenger–S_, whether you want to accept that or not is up to you, but I'm getting tired of you holding something like that against me." His head fell back against the metal wall with a thud, though he barely even felt it. "I told _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ personal things, too, but you don't see me sneering and snarling about who you turned out to be, despite you showing me up in front of the entire school and almost breaking my hand."

There was a pause, one where Sakura shifted uncomfortably. "That's because–"

"You're not a dick, right?" he drawled, sounding bored. "No, you're not. And I'm willing to admit that I deserved what happened at the debate, that I was wrong to treat you the way I did. There's no excusing it and there's no way I can ever make it up to you. However, I'm not above apologising if that's what you really want."

Apologising. Uchiha Sasuke apologising. Something had to be wrong. Was it the end of the world? Had hell frozen over? Or had–

No.

This time, it was Sakura who sighed. She had to let go of past grudges. They were turning her into a bitter, awful person and she really didn't like who she was becoming. It scared her. All the anger and the hatred… It reminded Sakura of her father and that was the last person she wanted to turn into. "How do I know this isn't some mind game of yours? I can't…" She grimaced, trying to see through the darkness to look at his face. "I don't want to be hurt again."

Sasuke's head instantly snapped up, turning in her direction. Was she giving him a chance? "I can't promise you that I won't hurt you," he muttered, his brows furrowing. "Apparently I have a habit of acting like an ass." It made him smirk when Sakura laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "But… I'd be willing to try, to see where this goes, if you are."

"But what about the fact that I'm going to Suna in a few months?"

"We'll think about that later. Right now, we should just take one day at a time."

"I'm going for the entire summer."

"I know."

She shifted in her position quickly, going from sitting miserably on the ground to kneeling up and glaring down at (what she hoped to be) Sasuke's face. "And that's it? You still want… Whatever the hell it is that you want, even though I'm going to be leaving soon?"

His head was leaning back against the elevator wall again. "Why are you always so angry?"

"I'm not!"

"So you're not glaring at me right now?"

"…No."

In his eyes, Sakura was always angry about something. It was part of the reason why he had avoided her after he told her they should no longer be friends. Sakura's anger was well-known and only idiots tried to piss her off. It had even been rumoured that the teachers didn't like angering her and had been giving her anger management classes whenever possible. Sasuke was certain that that was just a rumour, however. Teachers would never show proof that they were scared of students – they'd lose control of their classes in an instant. Sakura's anger, however… Well, he wouldn't exactly blame those teachers for doing what they could to avoid angering her.

"_Why_ are you always angry?" he repeated his question, though sounded genuinely more curious now. The first time, it had been a grumble, like how Shikamaru would say 'troublesome'. This time, his curiosity was obvious.

Sakura dropped from her knees to her behind, turning her head in a different direction to his voice. "I don't know. I just… am."

Realising that she had turned away from him, Sasuke sat up straighter and frowned. "Maybe you should see somebody about it. You scare the crap out of pretty much everyone."

Rolling her eyes, Sakura sighed. "You really know how to warm a girl's heart."

He snorted. "It's the truth. The only guy who dared to piss you off was Sabaku."

Silence met him.

She was so grateful for the dark, for the fact that he couldn't see her. Tears filled her eyes and Sakura bit her lip harshly, trying her best to keep her breathing steady and quiet. The last thing she needed right at that moment in time was to cry in front of Uchiha Sasuke about Sabaku Gaara.

It was no secret that the two hated each other. No, they utterly despised one another. And Gaara's hatred for Sasuke only multiplied when he heard what the Uchiha had done to her. All of her friends had abandoned her because Sasuke kicked her out of the 'popular' group, leaving her friendless, self-conscious and depressed. All Sakura had had to keep her going were her grades and the thought that school would eventually be over. Only a month later and she became friends with Gaara, who had caught her crying beneath a set of stairs. From then on, they had been friends.

Her shoulders shook.

When he received no reply, Sasuke frowned. "…Sakura?"

No answer.

"Oi." His frown deepened. "What–"

She couldn't help it. It just slipped. Her control slipped and before Sakura could stop it, a quiet sob escaped her.

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"A-Are you _crying_?"

He'd seen her cry once before (twice if you included that time she was crying into Sabaku Gaara's shoulder, but he hadn't really seen her face) and that was when he'd told her that he didn't want to be friends anymore. Nobody knew it, but… But the sight of her tears had pained him. To this day they still pained him. For a while he had been able to push aside those feelings and instead focus on his studies, but since speaking to Sakura again, since finding out she was _Fall–of–the–Blossom_, Sasuke had had to face how badly he had hurt her.

"N-No," she whimpered, wiping at her eyes furiously even though he couldn't see her.

"Liar," Sasuke murmured. He knew what she sounded like when she cried. For over a week now the memory of how badly he had hurt her kept haunting his dreams. Sitting up, he listened carefully and tried to figure out where her breathing was coming from (uneven, shaky breaths – making it even more obvious she was crying) and once he had, Sasuke reached out and grabbed her upper arms, yanking her forward and ripping the breath out of her when he pulled her to his chest. "Why are you crying?"

The trembling increased when his arms wrapped around her and for a split second, Sasuke was unsure if he was helping or not. But he'd seen many people doing it to try and comfort their friends. Sure, not all of them pulled their friends against them, allowing them to sit between their legs, but it was more or less the same. Either way, her side was against his chest, her face buried into his neck and his arms were wrapped around her – so he was still holding her.

He was holding her.

Her hands fisted in his shirt. "I'm just… I'm just being silly," she whispered, her voice strained from holding back her sobs. "S-Sorry–"

"Don't apologise," he muttered, closing his eyes and pressing his cheek to her hair. It was strangely relaxing and enjoyable, holding her in such a way. "Did you… Are you arguing with Sabaku?" Silence met him and in response, Sasuke pulled back slightly, glancing down at her in the dark. "You didn't start crying until I brought him up, so clearly you're crying because of him."

Sakura also pulled back, her eyebrows knitting together and a sob trying to claw its way up her throat. "He's stopped talking to me."

She was crying because he stopped talking to her? "Why?"

"Because he thinks I'm seeing you."

Oh. Well, he'd never liked Sabaku Gaara anyway. They were too similar. But still. "He stopped talking to you because you're talking to me?"

Nodding, Sakura loosened her hold on Sasuke's shirt, though didn't let go completely. "I-I was upset… when I found out who _Avenger–S_ really was… and I've never kept anything from Gaara, so I told him." Her face twisted with pain and not for the first time, she was so glad he couldn't see her. She'd never been a pretty crier. "We had this… this huge argument a-about it this morning and… and he called me an idiot… before going offline and refusing to talk to me again. He's… He's ignoring my calls and texts, too."

Sasuke grimaced. He'd never been good with helping people. "Maybe you should just leave–"

"You don't understand!" she sobbed, no longer able to keep her very little control over her tears. "When you and everybody else abandoned me, Gaara was there! Nobody else bothered with me. Not even Ino. Naruto had left and _I had no one_. He was _there_! A-And now… now he's not. And I'm alone. Again."

He didn't know what to say. One minute Sakura was angry with him, yelling and snapping at him and the next, she was crying in his arms. Granted, he had pulled her to him, but the fact that she was crying in front of him meant something. No, it meant a lot. However, her mood swings were beginning to give him whiplash.

There was a pause the length of a minute or so, the silence filled with nothing but her shaky breaths, her faint trembling, but Sasuke was glad that she was beginning to calm down. He had no idea how to comfort somebody when they were upset. Nobody ever came to him with their problems, when they were hurting. Well, Itachi had asked for his advice once, but that had only been one time.

"Sabaku lives in Suna, right?" Sakura nodded. "And you're going there in summer." Again, she nodded. "Then find his address and go to him."

Sakura rolled her eyes and leaned back a little, glaring up in his direction. "You make it sound so simple. I don't think getting a hold of his address will be so easy, you know."

Even in the dark she could feel his deadpan. "You're forgetting who I am, Sakura. If you want his address, all you have to do is ask and I'll get it for you." Itachi never minded doing the odd favour for him every now and then, especially when he knew that his younger brother couldn't do it for himself. "Just know that you'll owe me for it."

She frowned in confusion. "Owe you?"

"Yeah."

"What will I owe you?"

There was an idea of telling her she would have to go on a date with him in his head, but it seemed a little cliché to him, like something from a movie. It was a good idea though. That way, she would have no choice but to give him a chance, because she owed him. However, he didn't want to have to force her to be there. If they were going on a date she would be willing. No tricks or schemes.

"You'll find out when the time comes," he answered mysteriously, biting back a smirk when he heard her growl with annoyance.

"So when are we getting out of here?" Sakura asked him.

Sasuke scowled, his hold unknowingly tightening slightly. "Why are you asking me? You're the one who broke it by pushing the button too many times."

The sound of her scoff reached him a second or two before she spoke, "I'm not an idiot, Sasuke. You planned this. I simply… decided to give you a chance, although I never planned for that… emotional breakdown." Her voice was sheepish, though it soon grew stronger. "You warned me on the second time I pushed the button that I'd break the elevator, even though it could have just been a slip of my finger." Sasuke actually chuckled, much to her surprise. "I was right, then. You planned on the elevator getting stuck." Silence met her, telling her that yes, she was right. "What would you have done if it turned out I was claustrophobic?"

Since his arms were still around her, Sakura felt him shrug. "I would have contacted the janitor to get us out of here."

"And just how would you do that without a light? You could press the wrong button!"

He rolled his eyes. Did she think he was an idiot or something? Like he'd risk something like that. "I could use my phone light to flick the light switch for the elevator and _then_ contact the janitor."

Clearly she was stunned. "What…?"

Sasuke smirked again. "You had an easier time speaking to me, opening up to me, when we were behind computer screens, not looking at each other. I thought that being in the dark, where we can only hear each other's voices, would be the same."

"You're so sneaky." She pouted.

"Thanks."

"It's not a compliment!"

He chuckled again.

"And… That thing with Karin?"

There was a pause. "She owed me a favour."

Sakura's eyes narrowed. "What for?"

It took a lot to hold back his snort of amusement. Apparently, what Karin had warned him was true. The two girls had never seen eye-to-eye and if they were locked in a room together, chances were, only one of them would be walking out (and Karin had declared that it would be her, though Sasuke doubted that after what he had seen earlier – Sakura had sent her flying with a simple shove). She had warned him that, if he chose her for his plan to get on Sakura's good side again, there would be quite a few risks. The first being that a real fight would break out between the two girls due to their disliking of each other. The second was that Sakura could possibly become jealous, or think that something was going on.

Sasuke had ignored that second risk, thinking it was bullshit because surely, Sakura wouldn't be jealous if he spoke with other girls? It seemed Karin was right, however. There was definitely a tinge of jealousy to Sakura's tone as she demanded to know why Karin owed him a favour, not that he entirely blamed her. It was no secret that Karin was interested in him, after all. However…

"I gave Suigetsu a push in the right direction."

Yet another pause, one where Sakura struggled to find the words to say. "Suigetsu and Karin are…?"

"Together," he replied with a shrug. "She doesn't like showing it, but she likes him."

That was… Sakura shook her head with annoyance. "So that thing on the corridor was planned, too?" Sasuke nodded. "What would you have done if a real fight broke out? I could have lost everything!"

He rolled his eyes. "Which is why I dragged you away before you started one."

"_Me?_" she demanded angrily. "What about _her_? Karin was the one getting in my face!"

Other than her heavy breathing, it was silent for a few moments until Sasuke once more spoke up, asking, "Have you calmed down?"

"Not even close, Uchiha Sasuke!" Sakura snapped and pulled away, standing up. "Get us out of here."

After flicking on the lights and contacting the janitor, only half a minute later they were getting out on the ground level. It wasn't nearly as packed as it usually would be, so Sakura was guessing lessons had started. Great. How was she going to explain this and try to keep it off her record? The hospital–

"I had the janitor authorise your absence for this lesson," he stated, seeing her unease and worry melting away her anger. "He informed school that we were stuck in the elevator and that he was trying his best to get it working again." Sakura nodded, feeling a little awkward now that they could see each other once more. "Here." Sasuke raised his hands, about to cup her face, only for her to flinch and turn her head away, eyebrows knitting together as she did so.

After a moment, however, she turned her head back and leaned into his hands, frowning softly. "…Sorry."

He shook his head, wiping away the tears that lingered on her face. It felt so… _normal_ to be touching her that it shocked him. "We'll work on it."

Sakura bit her lip, nodding slightly.

"Sakura."

She looked up, not expecting the intensity of Sasuke's eyes and she wasn't going to lie, it shook her. "Y-Yeah?"

"I won't give you a reason not to trust me," he told her, eyes narrowed. "I'll earn your trust again."

It was a promise, she realised. He wasn't just saying those words, he was promising them. This wasn't… It wasn't Uchiha Sasuke. This was _Avenger–S_. Her _Avenger–S_. Maybe this was who Sasuke really was? Maybe the guy they all saw around school was just who he pretended to be? Or, the more likely option, he was both? Like a mixture?

"No more schemes or games?"

Sasuke gave a small smirk and shook his head. "No more schemes or games."


	9. I Hope You Know What You're Doing

**Chapter 9 – I Hope You Know What You're Doing**

They were eating lunch together.

Somehow, Sasuke had gotten a hold of her number (Sakura was certain it was Naruto who handed it over) and during their fourth lesson, right before lunch, he had asked her if she wanted to eat with him. It had shocked her, to be honest. It seemed that, so far, Sasuke was the one who was putting in all the effort and even back when she was a fan-girl of his, Sakura had always believed it would be the other person who put in all the effort and not him.

Also, she had mixed feelings about them eating together. Not because she was self-conscious or felt uncomfortable eating with him or anything of the sort. It was because it would be awkward, wouldn't it? Only a couple of hours ago, they had decided to give 'them' a try. It was only a couple of hours ago that they got out of that stupid elevator. What would they even talk about? What if she couldn't think of anything and he found her boring because of it? Or what if Sasuke did something she didn't like? What they were right at that moment in time… It was fragile to say the least. She didn't trust him and he was trying to change that.

He was trying to change that.

He was _trying_.

Sighing, Sakura glanced up at the teacher before pulling out her phone, hiding it behind her book as she pretended to go through her notes.

'_Where do you want me to meet you? And do you mind if Hinata joins us?_'

There was a pause in the reply, though thankfully it wasn't too long. It would look suspicious if she continued to hold up her pages like she was and to try and stop that from happening, Sakura turned the page, frowning ever so slightly as she scanned her work.

'_Sure. Naruto said he wants to act as a peacemaker, anyway. They can entertain each other. Meet me near the cafeteria. You still buy your lunch, right?'_

He remembered that? From over four years ago?

Also, Naruto acting as a peacemaker? Sakura had to fiercely bite back her smile. Now, the thought of eating lunch with Sasuke didn't seem so daunting. If Naruto was there, he would crack jokes and his easy going personality would ease the tension, would lighten all of their moods. The only problem would be keeping Hinata calm. Well, not calm exactly, but more like not allowing her to become overly anxious. It seemed her anxiety was at its worst when around the blond, which wasn't too surprising considering her crush on him.

Sometimes Sakura felt incredibly sorry for her best friend. Not even sometimes, it was more like pretty much all of the time. It had to be so difficult for her. And don't even get Sakura started on the trouble the Hyuuga went through when she had to present something to the class. One time, she had even had an anxiety attack because the stress got so much for her. It was painful watching her go through it all, but what else could Sakura do other than try and soothe that anxiety? If Hinata looked close to having an attack, or was panicking, then Sakura would take her somewhere that wasn't crowded and would calmly speak with her, letting her know that everything was okay. It was sadly all she could do to help.

'_Yeah, I do. I'll meet Hinata first and then we can meet you and Naruto. Can't talk now, still in lesson.'_

It kind of felt like she was speaking with _Avenger–S_, but at the same time, because she now knew what he looked like and who he was, it obviously felt different. For the first time since they started talking, Sakura felt slightly hesitant and wary of what she sent to him. And believe her, Sakura wanted that to change. She did. But at the same time, she was still unsure. He had yet to earn her trust.

'_See you, then.'_

Locking her phone, Sakura discreetly slid it into her bag and while she was leaning over, she pulled out a new pen, acting that her other had run out of ink as she grumbled to herself and dumped it into her bag. By keeping her phone in her bag, she wouldn't be distracted by any more texts. After all, just because she was sort of seeing Uchiha Sasuke now (well, more like testing the waters), it didn't mean she was about to allow herself to slip in her grades or studies. That opportunity was still at the very front of her mind and Sakura was determined to go to Suna during the summer.

Narrowing her eyes at the experiment information on the board, Sakura raised her hand and readied herself to argue with the teacher about why those two chemicals couldn't be mixed together.

* * *

"Are you sure, Sakura-san? I don't mind going to find Shino-kun or–"

"Don't be silly, Hinata." Sakura smiled brightly and pulled on Hinata's hand, pulling her out of the cafeteria.

They had both just bought their lunches, choosing to instead buy sandwiches and cookies instead of a warm meal. Neither girl was feeling particularly hungry and Hinata seemed to have lost quite a lot of her appetite at the announcement of their joining Sasuke and Naruto for lunch. Yes, Sakura knew she should have given Hinata more warning than what she had, but she also knew the Hyuuga would appreciate it in the long run. Despite her disorder, she preferred not to be treated like glass, like just one rough movement would break her.

"But wouldn't you like some time alone with Sasuke-kun to–"

"_Sakura-chan!"_

Neither of them were prepared for the boy who suddenly slammed into them, for the strong arms wrapping around them tightly. Due to standing so close together, Hinata was dragged into the hug and her chest was squashed against Sakura's back in the process with large hands on her own back. And even though he noticed he'd pulled in Hinata, too, Naruto refused to let go, instead pressing his cheek against Sakura's and smiling brightly at Hinata's stunned, red face.

"I'm glad you're joining us, Hinata!" stated Naruto loudly. "This way, I won't be an awkward third wheel."

It was like Sakura _felt_ Hinata's heart stop because of how close they were.

That was when another voice spoke up, this one making her own heart do a strange skipping sensation. "Idiot, let them go. It looks like she can barely even breathe."

Reluctantly, Naruto released them both with a pout. "You always ruin my fun, Sasuke."

"Somebody has to."

This was the Sasuke she saw around school. Cold and aloof with sarcastic and sometimes harsh words. "So… Where are we eating? Hinata and I have already bought our lunch."

"I've got a great place," the blond told them all cheerfully, grabbing both Sakura and Hinata's hands as he pulled them forward and closer to Sasuke. "It's really quiet and peaceful and–"

"Outside."

"What?"

"The place Naruto is talking about is outside," Sasuke informed the two girls.

"_Please_." Sakura rolled her eyes and yanked her hand free of Naruto's grip, that hand falling to her hip a moment later when she gave Sasuke an unimpressed look. "I'm not afraid of a bit of wind. Unless…" At his raised eyebrow, she smirked at him. "Unless you're worried about messing your hair up?"

By her side, Naruto snickered, though just as she thought it was because of _her_, he proved that thought to be wrong by once more grabbing Sakura's hand and slapping it into Sasuke's, looking so very proud of himself as he did so.

And just as Sakura tried to pull her hand free, Sasuke's hand closed over her own and this time, it was he who smirked when a very faint blush swept over her cheeks. "Unless…" Just as she had him, Sasuke teased her. "Unless you're worried about being seen with me?"

It was a challenge. Was she really that predictable? It… It didn't matter. She gritted her teeth and tightened her hold ever so slightly, silently reminding him of what had happened at the debate when he pushed her patience too far, before smiling sweetly up at him. "Worried? Of course not. Lead the way, Sasuke-_kun_."

For a moment, his smirk widened before he nodded once and turned around, still holding her hand in his own as he guided the way to Naruto's most favourite spot in school.

The two behind them exchanged surprised expressions, neither entirely believing what they were seeing. Sasuke was teasing Sakura, was holding her hand. And Sakura… She wasn't breaking his hand. She was teasing him back and–

"What are you two doing all the way back there?" Sakura snapped when she noticed they were simply standing there. She didn't appreciate their expressions in the slightest. "Hurry up!"

"Yes, sir!" Naruto grinned down at Hinata, who blushed in return, though both paled when they heard Sakura's teeth grinding together.

"It's the only way to keep people in line," she murmured to Sasuke as he glanced down at her with a raised eyebrow. "Anyway… I know you're only holding my hand to prove a point to Naruto. You can let go now, if you want."

For a fraction of a second, his eyebrows mashed together before smoothing out. "And if I don't want to?"

Sakura looked away and offered a small smile. "Then… You don't have to, I guess."

"I told you already, Sakura." He turned back to watch where he was going and when Sasuke pushed open the door leading them outdoors, he held it open with his free hand for Sakura. "We'll work on it."

Her trust for him. Her uncertainty. It wasn't going to be easy, Sakura could feel that in her gut. Or maybe it would be? Already, her stomach felt all warm and fluttery with nervousness and happiness. This… This was the meeting she had wanted when she went to meet _Avenger–S_. Nothing extravagant and nothing over the top. Just the two of them and the friends they'd brought along, having a good time. Sure, it wouldn't be too exciting and adventurous due to still being at school and only having fifty minutes for lunch, but it was enough for just getting to know each other again.

It took a good five minutes before they reached Naruto's spot and Sakura was pleasantly surprised when she realised she recognised the place. She hadn't been there in ages and had actually forgotten about it completely after he left, but now that she was standing in front of it, Sakura easily recognised it. His hideout. That was what Naruto had always called this spot. _His_ hideout. It was where he hid when skipping lessons and if she remembered correctly, then he should have a few snacks stashed away somewhere just in case he was there a while.

From the outside, it looked like a simple yet huge tree. It was old yet sturdy. And Naruto had discovered during their first year that it had once been somebody's little hideout due to the fact they'd created a sitting space inside of it. Well, not entirely inside of it, because it was partly underground, but it was easy to get the point.

Sasuke let go of her hand, allowing Sakura to climb inside of the tree from the small opening. It was small enough that an adult wouldn't be able to get through it, yet large enough for teens of their size to slip inside. And when she was inside, carefully crawling over to one of the blankets at the furthest wall, she couldn't help but smile at the nostalgia that hit her.

The only difference in appearance would be the blankets. There were two fleecy blankets spread out across the otherwise dirty, dried mud ground and there were also a couple of blankets neatly folded up to one side of the small space. It would easily fit the four of them inside, though it would be a bit of squeeze due to Sasuke and Naruto obviously being bigger than herself and Hinata.

A second later and Sasuke was joining her, sitting by her side silently on one of the blankets and not too long later, Hinata was crawling into the space carefully, making sure not to dirty her uniform lest she wished for another rant from her father. The small space had her eyes widening with wonder (Sakura saw a spark of fear, of anxiety, but it seemed the opening had her relaxing somewhat), a small smile on her lips as she glanced around herself and when Naruto entered and sat by her side, her smile turned more shy, suddenly realising how close they were all sat together. She and Sasuke were directly opposite Naruto and Hinata, each of their legs bent up at the knees so the person opposite themselves could fit in.

"This was easier when we were younger," Sakura stated quietly.

"I still like it," exclaimed Naruto as he grabbed a bag he'd left in his hideout, pulling out a torch and switching it on.

It wasn't perfect, but it was cosy. And the cold didn't bother them as much while in there either, due to being so close to one another and sharing body heat. They were also shielded from the wind, which Sakura decided was a bonus. Despite what she had said to Sasuke, she disliked the thought of sitting or standing in the wind because after a while, she was bound to get cold.

"I'm so glad I have a free next." She smiled.

"You're free to use it as much as you like," Naruto told the two girls. "But don't tell anyone about it. This is _my_ place."

Oh, there was the twelve year old Naruto. The excitable idiot who grew possessive and territorial so very easily. One time, Sakura could remember Inuzuka Kiba sitting on Naruto's desk and because the blond had claimed at the very beginning of the year that it was _his_, he had yelled at Kiba and argued with him. Even though he didn't seem it, he could be so stubborn when he wanted to be. Instead of giving up and sitting in a new seat, Naruto had argued with Kiba until he lost his patience and dragged the Inuzuka out of the seat, sitting down once he had and seeming so very proud of himself.

"How is this possible?" Hinata asked after a few quiet moments. "Surely somebody must have noticed this spot?"

Naruto grinned brightly. "Nope. It looks like an ordinary tree on the outside, but somebody must have worked hard to make it look like this on the inside. I mean, feel the walls. It's just dirt." When Hinata did as he said and felt the wall she was leaning against, her eyes widened a fraction and met his, secretly enjoying the smile on his lips as he focused on her. "I don't know how this place hasn't been ruined by the weather or old age. It's just always been here, from what I know."

She refused to jump when a hand once more grabbed hers, their legs hiding the movement. And when Sakura looked up, she saw that Sasuke wasn't looking at her and was instead on his phone.

Hers buzzed a second later.

Hiding her disbelief, she grabbed her bag and pulled it closer to her, reaching inside and taking out her phone.

'_I have a free next, too. Does your friend?'_

Since it was a Wednesday and her own free was after lunch, no. Hinata did not have a free. Instead, she would be in science. Usually during her frees without Hinata, Sakura would sit in the library and complete any and all homework she needed to finish. That was what the frees were for, anyway. To have a short rest between classes while also getting any outstanding work done in your own time.

'_No. Does Naruto?'_

Sasuke seemed to think about it for a moment, recalling the blond's timetable.

'_He did, but one of his teachers is forcing him to take an extra class to catch up on work.'_

Her stomach flipped.

The thought of being alone with Sasuke, here of all places, unnerved her. However, Sakura forced herself to remember what happened in the elevator only a few hours ago, as well as Sasuke's reasons as to why he'd tricked her. Like he had stated: she had an easy time opening up to him when they were in the dark. Here, in this space under the tree, they were kind of in the dark and would be completely if they were to turn out the torch (not including the patch of sunlight that forced its way inside through the opening).

'_If I stay here with you, don't try anything.'_

Sasuke refrained from rolling his eyes.

'_I'm not going to try anything. I just thought it would be easier for us to talk if those two weren't here.'_

That was true. How were they supposed to get to know each other once more when their friends were with them? Yes, Sakura had asked if Hinata could join them and yes, she'd been happy to hear that Naruto would also be with them, but now that she was thinking about it, it was going to be difficult to get to know each other (as more than friends) if they weren't alone.

"Oi, what're you doing?"

At the same time, both Sakura and Sasuke looked up from their phones, watching as Naruto paused in chewing the large chunk of food in his mouth. The sight of the partially chewed food was a disgusting one, they both thought at the same time.

"Don't sit there on your phones!" he snapped. "Talk to each other. It took ages to set this up!"

Set up? Sakura's eyes narrowed.

"He means getting everything and everyone here," Sasuke muttered, noticing her distrust.

Oh… The suspicion left Sakura's eyes and almost instantly, she felt bad for being so quick to jump to conclusions. To try and make up for it, she gently squeezed his hand, but that was all, as she couldn't think of anything else to do.

'_It's fine.'_

Slipping her phone back into her bag, Sakura pulled out her sandwiches, smiling almost sheepishly as she removed her hand from Sasuke's so that she could eat. He seemed to understand, as he soon reached for his own lunch and out of the corner of her eyes, Sakura saw Naruto and Hinata smiling at one another before they dug into their food. It was almost awkward, in a way. None of them could think of a thing to say and she knew it was making Hinata uncomfortable, because the girl met her eye for a brief second, her eyebrows knitting together.

However, like every other time, Naruto came to their rescue.

"Oh, I nearly forgot!" He paused in his eating once more and shoved his hand into his blazer pocket, digging out his phone. It was swiftly that he unlocked it, going through it as he spoke, "I downloaded a new album last night and haven't listened to it yet."

Trying to ease the tension as always, Sakura thought with a smile. Not only that, but Naruto had a fairly decent taste in music, in her personal opinion. He liked quite a lot of the same bands as herself.

And as the music began to play, her eyes widened and she quickly swallowed her food, smiling at Naruto brightly.

"I bought this ages ago!" She knew there'd been a reason as to why she kept the blond around. Well, more like put up with his perverted tendencies. "You should put the ninth song on. It's my favourite!"

Nodding, Naruto skipped the first song and put the ninth song on, listening to it for a moment before placing his phone on the blanket, leaving it to play while they ate.

Hinata smiled when she recognised it. "You were singing it the other day."

Sakura nodded. "I've got my mom addicted to the song, too."

"What is it called?"

She glanced up at Sasuke, offering him a small smile. "_Walk Away_. It's by _The Script_. It was released years ago, but it's still one of my favourites."

He nodded silently.

"I'll put the album on right from the beginning after this," the blond informed them, tearing into his lunch.

It felt like lunch went by in fast forward because one moment they were all eating and listening to music and then the next, Hinata and Naruto were gathering their things for their next lesson and crawling out of the small hideout, the latter unhappy that he was leaving so soon, especially for a lesson he shouldn't even be having. It was all Jiraiya's fault, he'd exclaimed to Hinata as the pair walked away (the girl sending Sakura an encouraging smile before leaving). She and Sasuke could hear Naruto ranting even as they reached the school.

"He needs to learn to speak with an 'indoor' voice," Sakura grumbled.

Nodding, Sasuke reached for the torch so that he could turn it off, only to pause when she grabbed his arm. "You want it on?"

"I need to get used to it, anyway," she told him honestly. "I want to get to know you, Sasuke. I already know _Avenger–S_."

That was true. So, he left the torch on, settling it back to where Hinata and Naruto had been sat before leaning back against the dirt wall. Thankfully, none of the dirt would rub off onto his uniform because if there was one thing Sasuke disliked the most, it was anything of his looking messy and untidy. It drove him insane with the urge to fix it.

It was silent for a few moments. "So… What do you have next?"

At her question, Sasuke gave a small smirk. It sounded like the first thing she could think of and if the grimace she showed meant anything, his thoughts were correct. "English. You?"

"Maths."

"How was your last lesson?"

Her eyes widened a fraction as they met his, surprised by his question. "It was fine, I guess. Kind of dull, though, if you ask me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," she said rather enthusiastically. "All my science teacher does, is read from a presentation and I know most teachers do the same, but she has the most _boring_ voice I've ever heard. And she puts no thought into the lesson at all. That was proved earlier when somebody tried to prank her." Rolling her eyes, Sakura gave Sasuke a blank look. "She left the class for a few minutes and during that time, one of your friends changed a chemical and it would have had a negative reaction, should she have actually gone through with it."

He had a feeling he already knew who she was on about. "Suigetsu?"

"Suigetsu," Sakura groaned. "He's always screwing with the teacher and trying to confuse her, but this time it went way too far. She could have set the classroom on fire or been seriously harmed!"

And, knowing Suigetsu the way he did, Sasuke knew for a fact that he wouldn't have regretted it for a single moment. It was one of the many weird reasons why Karin liked him so much. He wasn't afraid to go through with those messed up thoughts in his head, unlike the rest of them who silently and secretly plotted revenge after revenge against their teachers after they did something to piss them off.

Sighing, she leaned back against the wall, staring up at the strange ceiling. It wasn't exactly a ceiling but more like the inside of the tree. Kind of creepy if she stared at it long enough and when it started to creep her out, Sakura's eyes went back to Sasuke's, only slightly surprised to see that he was still looking at her. Sasuke had always been the type of guy to maintain eye contact in conversations, mainly because he was the type who either gave you all of his attention, or none at all. There was no in between with him.

"I'm surprised she's even a teacher, you know," she murmured after a moment, sounding annoyed. "We're hardly even learning anything and if it keeps up, my grades are going to be dragged down and I can't afford that to happen."

"Because of Suna?"

She shook her head. "Not only because of that. I received two full scholarships for two different colleges next year but I need to keep my grades up to make sure they don't take them back."

College. Sasuke couldn't believe he'd forgotten about it. "Which ones?"

"Konoha and one in Suna." Sakura gave him a small smile. "Have you got any acceptances yet?"

"Konoha, Oto and Kumo."

Wow. Three acceptances. And Oto and Kumo were both so far away… "Have you decided which one you'll be attending?"

He shook his head. "My parents want me to go to Konoha, since it's closer to home, but my brother has told me to do what is right for me, even if it means I'm away from home for a while." A pause. "You?"

"I'm going to see how I like it in Suna this summer," she replied quietly, looking away from him. "And if I like it and the hospital wants to keep me on, then I'll probably stay and go to college there."

She would probably stay there. And even though Sasuke was unsure of his own choices, even though he wasn't sure if he would be staying in Konoha himself, he found that he didn't want her to like it in Suna. He wanted her to stay in Konoha.

"I guess if… if anything _does_ happen between us, we could always try out a long distance relationship," Sakura said awkwardly. Then, she once again grimaced. "Is it too soon to be considering that?"

"Maybe, but…" He frowned for a moment and tried to find the right words. "But if we're serious about this, then we need to be completely honest with each other."

Sakura nodded in agreement, smiling shyly. "Yeah, we can't start anything if it's all built on half-truths or lies."

Exactly. And Sasuke was determined not to let that happen. He'd already hurt Sakura – twice, in fact. There would not be a third time, not if he could help it. He was actually going to try for her. To be her friend, to be there for her and, if she allowed him to be, he would also like to be her boyfriend.

He wanted it to be like when they were speaking online. He wanted Sakura to continue coming to him with her problems, confident that he would either try to cheer her up, or help her with them. He wanted to be the shoulder she cried on when she was sad, or the first person she looked to when she was told something that made her incredibly happy. Sasuke wanted to _be_ the one who made her incredibly happy.

Instead of saying all of that, Sasuke instead gave her his own smile. "Do you want to go out?"

Unpredictable. Sakura had always believed that Sasuke was unpredictable. One moment they were discussing colleges and the next, he was asking her out. "Like… a date?" He nodded once. "When?"

"Saturday night."

Sakura was silent for a moment before offering him a small smile. "Sure."

A date with Uchiha Sasuke.

"I'll pick you up around seven."

"You don't know where I–"

The look he gave her was unimpressed. "We spoke about this only a couple of hours ago, Sakura. I can get whatever information I want."

She rolled her eyes, unable to keep back the mutter of, "Stalker."

Instead of arguing, Sasuke smirked. Then, he paused, seeming to think over his next words carefully. "You should wear your red dress."

"No."

He frowned in response. Why not, was what Sasuke wanted to ask. The red dress had looked amazing on her, the colour of it contrasting nicely with her porcelain skin tone. It was also different. Most girls nowadays wore skin tight dresses that left absolutely nothing to the imagination, but Sakura's dress hadn't done that. Sure, it had been quite short and it had also been tight around her breasts (keeping them covered at the same time due to the high neckline), but other than that, it was rather conservative in its own way.

Taking his silence as Sasuke asking why, she sighed. "I'd rather not wear it."

It was currently screwed up in the corner of her room and even if Sakura washed it now, the creases would be horrendous to iron out. Not only that, but the last time she had worn it had ended in disaster.

"Why?"

"The weather's too cold."

Even though her quick reply was so very obviously a lie, Sasuke decided not to push it and instead nodded.

"I have other dresses if we're going somewhere formal?"

"Wear one of them." He gave her a smile. "I want to take you out for dinner."

There was no denying the butterflies that filled her stomach.

* * *

"So… I'll see you later?"

Sasuke's thumb gently brushed along her knuckles and he looked down at their joined hands. "Yeah."

What was she supposed to do? Sakura bit her lip and looked down the corridor, frowning softly when she saw the students who were staring at them in wide eyed shock. Did she hug him? It was definitely too soon to kiss him and Sakura would also rather their first kiss not be in the corridor with others watching. Well, it wouldn't really be their first kiss since Sasuke had kissed her on their failed attempt of meeting as _Avenger–S_ and _Fall–of–the–Blossom_, but that wasn't the point.

Noticing her uncertainty, Sasuke inwardly smirked. He'd been feeling surprisingly calm around Sakura since they had spoken in the elevator, since she had given him the chance to try and make up for what he'd done to her. No, he was not forgiven yet and no, she didn't trust him, but they were working on it. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

He pulled his hand free of hers, regaining her attention and just when Sakura looked up at him questioningly, he poked her forehead.

"What–"

"See you later, Sakura."

With that, he walked away, not looking back at her as Sakura rubbed her forehead with a pout.

What was _that_ for? Did he always go around poking people's foreheads? Or was Sasuke teasing her because of the size of hers? Sakura liked to think she had grown into it over the years, especially since her pre-teen years, but maybe that wasn't the case? Was it still as big as ever? Rubbing her forehead one last time, Sakura sighed and opened her locker, assessing her forehead. Thankfully, there was no red mark and as usual, it didn't look all that big. Maybe the poking thing was meaningful to Sasuke for some strange reason?

"I hope you know what you're doing."

Sakura tensed and quickly turned around, narrowing her eyes on the blonde standing before her. As usual, her hair was covering just over half of her face and wherever she got the chance to, she was wearing purple, which was apparently her signature colour now. Her nails were painted purple and beneath her short school skirt she wore purple shorts, along with purple knee high socks. There were also many purple bracelets on each of her wrists, along with a choker styled necklace that had a purple pendant dangling against her throat. It should have looked absolutely ridiculous, but she somehow made it work. Like always. Then again, she could wear a bin bag and make it work.

"What are you talking about?"

"You and Uchiha Sasuke. I saw you coming back into school together, holding hands," she replied with a raised eyebrow, one hand resting on her hip. "How can you forgive him after everything he did to you?"

"It has nothing to do with you, Ino." Ino simply stared at her. It wound Sakura up so much. "Say what you want, but you abandoned me, too."

"Abandoned you?" Ino scoffed, her heavily made up eyes narrowing. "I didn't abandon you, _you_ abandoned _me_. You gave up on our friendship because we liked the same guy and you felt threatened by me."

If anybody had ever been able to stand up to her anger (other than Gaara, of course), then it was Ino. It always had been. If anything, Sakura had always been intimidated by Ino. How could she not be? She was beautiful, independent and took absolutely no shit. What did Sakura have? 'Exotic' looks (as her mother had often told her) and intelligence. Sure, she took no shit either, but people _feared_ her anger. They didn't fear Ino's unless the blonde was having an extremely bad day. People weren't scared to hang around her like they were Sakura.

It was like Ino just said: Sakura was threatened by her.

"Why do you even care?" she questioned with a frown. "We're not friends anymore and haven't been in a long time, Ino. And you agreed to the ending of our friendship."

"You're just setting yourself up to be hurt again." Ino rolled her blue eyes, shoving her blazer sleeves up to her elbows when they slipped down ever so slightly. "And when that happens, you'll be even more unpleasant to be around."

Before the last word even fully left her lips, the blonde turned her back on Sakura and left.

She leaned back against the locker next to her own, watching Ino as she turned down a different corridor, disappearing from view completely. It was always painful seeing Ino. Maybe not as much as it had been Sasuke, but it definitely hurt. Yamanaka Ino had been her very first friend and had defended her against bullies. She had taken Sakura under her wing and helped her grow more confident, became her best friend. When Sasuke kicked her out of the group, Ino had been nowhere to be seen and not long after, the bullies came back, preying on her insecurities and lack of confidence.

Gathering her things for the last lesson of the day, Sakura turned around and shut her locker.

_Trust him._

She needed to learn to trust him.

Sakura merely hoped Sasuke didn't prove Yamanaka Ino right.

* * *

**A/N - I wasn't planning on updating tonight, but I needed something to take my mind off of what I've just seen in the paper.**

**A woman who lives about thirty to forty minutes away from me set her dog on a defenceless, tiny kitten who was sleeping on a fence in her owner's yard. The dog wasn't fussed by the kitten in the least and only jumped up once before walking away, leaving it alone, but then that vile excuse of a human being started to tug on the lead and encouraging it to attack. So it did. Around six and a half minutes later, a neighbour saw what was happening and went to save the kitten, but sadly it died in his arms because of a punctured lung and two fatal bite wounds to the neck. He was able to pull it away from the kitten with just one finger to its collar and there was absolutely no resistance, which is proof that it was only doing as it was told.**

**Want to know what she got for it? An order to pay £200 costs as well as an £80 victim subcharge. She's been banned from owning or keeping any animals for 10 years, but what good is that going to do? Does it bring the helpless kitten back to its family? And what about the dog she ordered to kill the kitten? Does it make up for that? Animals don't just go bad. People make them bad. Thankfully, the dog wasn't destroyed and has been re-homed, but I feel like the woman didn't get what she deserved.**

**Oh, but that's not all. The bitch also has three kids. They've got such a wonderful example to look up to. I can only hope their dad is a better example and knows to teach them right from wrong. What their mum did was disgusting and unforgivable and if that had been my cat, she would have got a lot more than a 'devastating' £280 to pay. I wouldn't even give a shit about the consequences. Animal abusers should be given a taste of their own medicine and be made to feel as vulnerable and helpless as they make animals feel.**

**I just don't understand why people abuse animals. I'm not saying it's only cats that are abused, because I know it's not. However, I'm always hearing or seeing things about cats being used for baiting (I think that's what it's called) or other horrible stuff such as that. I couldn't imagine bringing harm to my cat - I feel awful if I don't feed him on time or accidentally stand on him! Shadow (my cat) is a rescue cat who's lived around seven to eight years on the street, before becoming ill and having to be taken to a rescue shelter, where I later bought him and gave him a home once he was fully healed. It makes me feel sick to think that it could have been him in that situation, where somebody has set their dog on him and he's had to run for his life.**

**Most cats couldn't give two shits about humans. If you feed them, you'll have their affection for a short while. Other than my own cat (who demands my attention pretty much all of the time other than when there's food about), my mum's cats act exactly like that. If they want your attention, they'll tell you or show you. If you don't like cats? Leave them alone. They only attack when they feel threatened and most of the time, their bark is worse than their bite.**

**And others wonder why I hate people.**

**That was a long rant about cats, thought mostly animal abusers. Um. Anyway! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	10. The First Of Many

**Chapter 10 – The First Of Many**

She was in meltdown mode.

It was Saturday night and in just under an hour, Uchiha Sasuke would be picking her up and taking her to dinner for their date. Already it was dark out, seeing as though it was past seven in the evening and they were entering winter. It seemed cold out, also, which was partly why Sakura was so frustrated.

_What the hell was she going to wear?_

Her best dress, her favourite dress, was still in the corner of her room and there wasn't a chance in hell that she was wearing it again any time soon. All of her other outfits were currently thrown across her bed and not a single one appealed to her because not a single one of them looked good enough for a first date.

Since the elevator day (as Sakura had dubbed it), she and Sasuke had eaten their lunch together every day since then, though yesterday hadn't been able to eat in Naruto's hideout due to the horrendous weather. It had been lashing it down with rain and the wind was so fierce that there was honestly no point in even looking at an umbrella. So instead they had eaten in the cafeteria, trying their best to ignore the disbelieving stares and whispers that had followed them.

Grabbing all of the hangers that were carrying jeans, shorts and t-shirts, Sakura put them back into her wardrobe and frowned to herself. At least half of her clothes were now gone, making it easier to see the others but it still did little to help her make her choice. So when she saw a few mini skirts, Sakura also hung them back up inside of her wardrobe. They wouldn't be appropriate for a formal restaurant.

She resisted the urge to scream.

Seven dresses were left. Seven dresses, three blouses and six knee length pencil skirts. The pencil skirts accentuated her figure, made her seem curvier and they definitely made her ass look good, but… But she didn't want to wear a skirt and have to worry about her blouse sticking out or making her seem lumpy. Sighing, she put the skirts, along with the blouses, back into the wardrobe and turned to look at what she was left. Seven dresses. Each was different in their own way and they were all different shades of different colours. Some had pretty patterns, others were plain. Some were like a second skin when worn, others were quite loose. Some were knee length, some were floor length and some were short.

Floor length seemed a bit too formal for a first date (more like something for prom), so Sakura got rid of the two dresses, looking over the final five with a critical eye. Sasuke seemed to have liked the red dress and, realising this, she picked it up and unscrewed it, sighing at the creases but also taking note of the style. It was loose and only formfitting around her breasts. Placing the red dress over the chair in her room, Sakura got rid of the skin tight dresses and found that she was left with three dresses.

One was a fairly short qipao and aside from the shoulders being covered, there were no sleeves. The dress was made out of red silk with a golden phoenix design and while it wasn't the loosest dress she owned, it certainly was not the tightest. She supposed it would look nice with a pair of her mother's black heels…

Placing it down onto the bed, she assessed the next dress. There wasn't much to it, really. It was almost exactly like her red dress only in navy and instead of there being straps for sleeves, this one was long sleeved though with a low neckline. White heels would look nice with it, but then again, white heels always managed to look tacky. She grimaced. Black heels wouldn't be too bad, depending on which pair.

Finally, the last dress. It was made out of a satin apple green fabric, matching her eye colour. She could recall wearing it for a wedding, so it was definitely formal. Completely strapless with a white belt around the waist and it also reached mid thigh. It was tight around her breasts and loose every where else. If she was not mistaken, she should still have the heels that had matched the dress, since it had been worn to a wedding.

Glancing at the clock, she grimaced. Twenty minutes. Had she seriously just wasted over forty minutes trying to decide on what to wear? Sasuke would be here soon and she still hadn't done her hair. Grabbing two of the dresses, Sakura shoved them into her wardrobe and quickly shed her dressing gown, pulling on a pair of white underwear along with the matching bra. Thankfully, after getting out of the shower and going through her face creams, she had done her makeup, so that was one less problem to worry about.

Reaching for her hairdryer, Sakura tipped her head upside down and quickly began to dry her hair, ruffling it about with her free hand. It always gave her more volume to dry it this way and it made her layers appear spikier. Ten minutes later and Sakura was slipping her dress and shoes on, leaving her bedroom.

"Mom, do you mind if I borrow your bag? Mine still needs cleaning."

"You look amazing, Sakura," Mebuki sighed happily when her daughter entered the living room. "I was hoping you would choose that dress, too. Here." She held out the bag Sakura was asking about. "I already cleared my things out of it for you."

Smiling gratefully, Sakura grabbed the bag and put her phone and purse into it as well as her lipstick. Nothing else would really fit into the bag since it was more of a clutch, but like her dress it was made out of a satin material, though was white. That had to be the best thing about being so close with her mother. The trust that she gave to her. This bag… Well, it hadn't been cheap, but Mebuki trusted Sakura not to ruin it or get it dirty. The same went for when Sakura wanted to borrow her shoes (they were the same size, much to her delight).

"Do you need any money?"

Her mother's question caused Sakura to pause. Sasuke had already told her not to bother bringing any money when she asked how much she would need, and said that he would pay for it all, but… It didn't really feel right to make him pay for everything. Sure, Sakura felt comfortable with Naruto paying for a hot chocolate and muffin every now and then, but that was because she paid for him just as much. They took it in turns.

Rubbing her bare arm, she frowned at her mother. "Sasuke said he'd pay, but…"

Mebuki chuckled when Sakura's sentence trailed off and stood up from her seat on the sofa. "Don't worry, Sakura. I was the same when I was your age – I still would be if somebody asked me out. You like to be independent. There's nothing wrong with an independent woman." There was a pause as Mebuki riffled through her purse before turning to Sakura once more, offering her a handful of money. "Here. We won't need the extra money this week, so hopefully this will cover your half of the date."

"A-Are you sure?"

They weren't poor, but they certainly weren't rich. They managed to get by with paying the rent and other bills as well as grocery shopping, but other things were a bit of a push at times, depending on what time of month it was (Mebuki's pay day was at the end of every month). Since it was the end of November, her mother had been paid only a couple of days ago, but would it be okay to take the money with Christmas being so close?

"Take it, Sakura."

Nodding, she did so and put the money in her purse. Even though Sakura felt unsure of taking the money, she felt somewhat relieved that it wouldn't only be Sasuke paying for everything. "I'll bring back any change for you. And–"

The doorbell ringing cut her off and Sakura pursed her lips, glowering over in the direction of the front door.

"I don't know how the hell those damned Uchihas keep getting past the downstairs door, but–"

"Oh, are you talking about Itachi-san getting in the other day?" Mebuki questioned as she gently pushed her daughter in the direction of the door. "I let him in on my way out. He said he needed to talk to you and would do so while giving you a ride to school."

Wow. So Uchiha Itachi really was a gentleman and not some creepy stalker. "And Sasuke?"

"He buzzed not too long ago and I told him to come up."

"_Mom_! You could've given me some warning, you know."

She chuckled softly and gave a final push, taking a step back to watch as Sakura opened the front door. It was such a nostalgic sight, seeing her daughter's first date. It reminded her of her own, in a way. And the way the young Uchiha boy looked up at her, his eyes threatening to widen a fraction…

Mebuki bit back her smile. "Have fun on your date," she told them cheerfully, scooting Sakura out of the door. "And make sure you're home for midnight at the latest."

Midnight? Sakura couldn't help but be shocked. "That's later than usual…"

"It's your first date. Just go and have fun."

With that, she shut the door, leaning against it and sighing happily.

"_Geez,_" she heard Sakura sighing. "_Anyone would think that my mom was the one going on a date."_

That boy… Yes, he had hurt her daughter, but Mebuki knew that Sakura had always cared for him. Oh, she could remember when she used to write his name all over her notebooks, when she used to talk about nothing but "Sasuke-kun". He had to be something special for Sakura to forgive him for hurting her, but that wasn't the only reason why she was allowing them to date. She had met his older brother before and just the other night, not long after Sakura had attempted to meet Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi had approached her. Since she had been on a break during her shift, Mebuki reluctantly sat down opposite the man in a booth and listened to him while sipping on her coffee.

According to Itachi, his younger brother had done a lot of growing up over the years and can now understand that he had hurt Sakura with his actions. As well as that, he said that he'd never seen Sasuke so down. _Never_. That meant the day he met Sakura, he'd been hurt, too. Oh, Mebuki knew about that violent, angry streak in her daughter and sometimes, it worried her when she'd see the ticking in her brow, so she _knew_ that Sakura had lost her temper that day and most likely hurt Sasuke too.

He was trying to make amends, Itachi had murmured to her. And if they decided to try a relationship, he had asked that she accepted it and didn't step in the way of it or interfered. Sasuke wasn't one who opened up to others. He preferred to keep to himself and deal with his problems by himself. The fact that he'd opened up to Sakura meant _a lot_. And Itachi would like for him to keep that bond with Sakura, he would like for Sasuke to be given the chance to earn her forgiveness and trust.

Smiling, Mebuki stood up straight.

She needn't worry. Sure, she'd been worried at first but the second Sasuke caught sight of Sakura…

That boy was diving head first and smashing his way back into Sakura's life, Mebuki could see that clearly and she could also see that it would take one hell of a devastation to make him disappear again. And that was why she was okay with it. After spending sixteen and a half years with Haruno Kizashi, Mebuki could tell a bad guy a mile off. It was their eyes that gave their impure thoughts away. She could see in Sasuke's eyes that…

He would not hurt her again.

* * *

He was being quiet.

Sakura glanced up at Sasuke out of the corner of her eye as they walked side by side down the open corridor. On one side were the doors to apartments, but on the other, was a balcony of sorts, allowing fresh air to fill the corridor. It also gave them a view of the car park below them.

Not a single word had been said. _At all_.

Did he not like her dress? Was her hair a mess? Raising a hand, she tugged on a strand of it, biting the inside of her cheek. Since her dress was so formal and pretty, Sakura had thought it would be best to leave her hair natural after blow drying it and because of that, her layers were spikier than usual, although not dramatically so. Maybe she should have straightened it after all? Or was it her makeup? Was the winged eyeliner too much? Or was it the lip gloss?

However…

When they were alone and in the elevator, Sasuke tilted his head in her direction, but his bangs shielded his eyes from her. "You…" It surprised her when his cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. "You look beautiful."

Her heart stopped. Not knowing what to reply with, Sakura released her hair and reached out, taking his hand. Her eyes stared down at the ground and a small, shy smile on her lips.

Beautiful.

He called her _beautiful_.

It made her chest feel warm.

"So… Are you going to tell me where we're going?" she asked quietly, trying to calm the pounding of her heart.

Sasuke smirked and raised his head so that his bangs were no longer shielding his eyes. "No."

Pouting as the elevator doors opened and they stepped out, she looked up at him. "Why not?"

"Because–"

"_Sakura-san!"_

Her eyes widened and she quickly turned to the side, grinning at the boy running towards her with a large smile on his face, waving one of his long arms at her. "Lee-san!"

Once he came to a stop in front of her, he calmed down ever so slightly, though still continued to smiling. That smiled dimmed, however, when Sasuke stepped closer to Sakura and Lee glanced down at their joined hands. "What's this, a date?"

"Yeah," she replied with ease, silently asking Lee with her eyes not to cause a scene like he usually did. "Sasuke and I are going on our first date tonight."

"Oh, I see." The older boy frowned before looking to Sasuke. "Please take care of Sakura-san, Sasuke-kun. She is one of my closest friends and I don't like seeing her upset."

Sasuke remained silent. Just as Lee opened his mouth to say more, Sakura leaned forward and smiled. "So have you just got back from training?"

A faint blush swept across his cheeks and Lee glanced down at his attire. "Ah… Yes."

"Don't worry," she told him. "You don't smell bad like the last time!"

He chuckled and scratched the back of his head, his blush deepening. "Thank you, Sakura-san. Gai-sensei didn't push me nearly as hard this time since my leg is still recovering."

Oh yeah, how could she forget? One time during training, Lee had been distracted by something and landed wrong, breaking his leg as a result. Sakura felt so badly for the way Naruto had just barged into the dojo, uncaring of the fact people were training and trying to concentrate. It wasn't all bad, though. Lee had been very pleased about the blond's return and talked him into rejoining the dojo now that he was home.

"We can talk tomorrow, Sakura-san. You are on a date right now and Gai-sensei has given me orders to relax for the rest of the night. If you're free tomorrow, I could come upstairs and visit you?"

That sounded nice. Since Lee lived on the floor beneath her, he was always popping over whenever they had free time to check up on Sakura and her mother. And Mebuki liked having him around, too. "That'd be nice. My mom was saying the other day that she hasn't seen you in a while."

"Then it is settled," Lee told her with a bright smile, offering her a thumbs up. "I will come and see you both after my training." He patted her shoulder in a friendly gesture, calming down once more. "Have fun tonight, Sakura-san, Sasuke-kun. It was good seeing you both."

He was such a nice, polite person, Sakura thought as Lee walked around them and entered the elevator. "Bye, Lee-san!"

"Goodbye!"

She chuckled to herself and looked up at Sasuke, but he was looking away, making her frown. "Sasuke?"

He said nothing and instead guided her in the direction of the door, holding it open for Sakura and just as quietly making his way over to his car.

She tugged him to a stop.

"Look at me."

It seemed he did so reluctantly. "What?"

"Lee-san is my friend."

He scowled. "And?"

"_And_ there's no need for you to be jealous," Sakura told him, giving him a small smile. "Lee-san… He's like Gaara, in a way. He's always been there for me, even though I wasn't always nice to him. I'm… I'm lucky to have a friend who's so persistent and kindhearted, since I'm not exactly the nicest person to be around."

Not this again. Sighing, Sasuke pulled on her hand to bring her closer, making Sakura's eyes widen a fraction. "Ino was wrong when she said you're unpleasant, Sakura."

Was she, though?

"And I wasn't jealous," he added with a frown.

"The blush on your cheeks says different," Sakura teased.

Sasuke looked away and pulled her forward once more as he began to walk closer to his car. Her eyes widened at the sight of it. Like his older brother, Sasuke had an expensive looking car and it made her uneasy for a number of reasons. First: it was in _this_ car park. It was an open, public car park that anyone had access to. People came in and out of it all the time.

Second… Sakura lowered her eyes as Sasuke opened the door for her and shut it once she was in. Second: it proved that he was swimming in money. Did he ever think about the difference between them? Did he ever think that he _had_ to pay for things, because she may not be able to afford them? That… It made her uncomfortable. His car looked as though it cost more than everything inside her apartment.

Then again, Sakura wasn't ashamed by the lives she and her mother lived. As always, she was proud of her mother and everything Mebuki did. The woman was working two jobs and never complained once about them. She was always putting others first. As well as that, she did whatever she could to make sure Sakura had everything she needed, to make sure her daughter never went without. Sure, they weren't rich, but like Sakura had been thinking earlier: they weren't poor, either. They were comfortable. She was worrying over nothing.

Sitting up for a moment, Sakura smoothed down her dress, making sure there would be no crinkles when she got up again. There was no telling how long they'd be driving for.

When Sasuke was in his seat and putting on his seatbelt, she smirked. "So?"

He paused and looked up at her. "So?"

"Do you prefer the red dress still?"

It made her blush when Sasuke's eyes trailed down from her face and over her body, lingering on certain areas before meeting her eyes once more. And instead of being embarrassed about so blatantly checking her out (he shouldn't be really, since she'd asked), he instead smirked at her.

"It's a draw," replied Sasuke as he started the engine. "But this dress matches your eyes…" Turning his head to the side, his smirk widened at the blush on her cheeks. "I like that."

He was like a completely different person tonight, so much so that it was making her more nervous than usual. The blush on her cheeks was still obvious as Sakura turned to look out of the window, watching as the darkened street passed them by. It was decided as they met their first traffic lights that Sasuke was a fast driver, yet also a cautious one. Not overly cautious that it drove you insane, but more like wary of what could happen and avoiding those things, if that even made any sense. It did in her head.

She looked over to him again, watching as he focused on the road. "Who taught you how to drive?"

"Shisui. You?"

Sakura shrugged. "I can't drive."

Even if she could, she wouldn't have a car. It was simply too much money. Her mother didn't have a car, either, even though she could drive. Instead they both took the bus or the train, since it was much cheaper when they paid for passes. Sakura hoped that one day, however, she'd be able to buy her mother a car to take herself to and from work. That way, she wouldn't have to leave so early in the mornings or return so late at night. Mebuki would be able to sleep in longer and hopefully relax more.

"You're not missing much." Sasuke also shrugged, turning a corner.

She honestly couldn't help but laugh, effectively gaining his attention immediately. "Seriously? I _know_ I'm missing out, Sasuke." Sakura rolled her eyes and laughed once more. "I'd rather have a car and my mom was going to buy me one, but I told her not to bother. If one of us is having a car, then it'll be her."

Something flashed in his eyes, something Sakura couldn't fully distinguish. It was definitely a positive thing, though. "You really care about her."

Even though it wasn't a question, she nodded, once more looking away. "For years she put up with my dad to try and keep our family together, so that it didn't have any negative effects on me. My mom wanted me to grow up thinking we're a happy family and that I was loved and safe and…" She shook her head. "How can I _not_ respect her for that? For me, she gave up her freedom and safety and stayed in a loveless, abusive marriage." Realising that she was dampening the mood, Sakura decided to change the topic. "How's your family, anyway?"

There was silence for a moment as Sasuke repeated Sakura's words in his mind, not for the first time cursing Haruno Kizashi as he did so. "I asked Itachi about him giving you a ride to school and he told me that I was taking too long, so he gave you 'a nudge' in the right direction."

Her eyes widened, snapping to meet his even though Sasuke's were on the road. "What…?"

He sighed and once more, his cheeks were burning. "…He thinks you're good for me."

Good for him. _Her_. Haruno Sakura, good for Uchiha Sasuke? That was… It was actually kind of romantic, now that she was thinking about it. "Do you think that?"

Another pause.

This one stretched out for quite a while.

"…Sasuke?"

"You're one of very few people I've reached out to," Sasuke told her quietly and refused to meet her eyes.

"That doesn't answer my question."

At the next red light, Sakura was surprised when Sasuke turned his head to the side and gave her a serious look, his eyes narrowing a fraction although not out of anger. "If we can make this work then yeah, I think you would be good for me."

She didn't answer until the light was green, until Sasuke was facing forward once more.

"I think you'll be good for me, too."

* * *

The restaurant was intimidating.

Don't get her wrong, Sasuke was being a great date. He held open doors for her, pushed her chair under the table and even removed her jacket for her. All of those things were things Sakura had believed he'd never do. However…

Focusing entirely on the menu, Sakura tried her best to hide her discomfort. Everybody here was of the upper class. They all appeared to be elites. And in his navy suit, Sasuke seemed to fit right in with them all. He held himself proudly and had that look on his face that made you aware of his class. Hell, he didn't even look at the menu because Sasuke already knew what was on it and what he wanted to order, so instead sipped his water patiently.

He was probably doing it unknowingly but it all intimidated her. Sakura had seen the looks she received when she entered the fancy restaurant. She'd seen the looks of disapproval as they eyed her pink hair, shockingly apple green dress and heels. It… It irked her! Compared to the other women, she looked like a kid going to her prom. She looked like a child trying to play dress up. It was embarrassing. Not only that, but the prices of the food was just ridiculous. The money her mother had given her would just about cover the starter. Her hold on the menu tightened. She wasn't used to luxury such as this. Yes, she'd been expecting to go somewhere nice, but this was…

Feeling eyes on her, Sakura glanced to the side, frowning when she met the hard eyes of a middle aged woman. Her blonde hair was thick and wavy, reaching the middle of her back and her make up appeared to have been done by an artist, as it was all done in a way that accentuated her natural beauty. Nothing on the woman looked unnecessary – everything had its place and looked like it belonged there. Just like the woman in the restaurant.

She didn't fit in here and it intimidated her. It made her uncomfortable. And as her eyes slid back to the table, remaining fixed on the menu, she felt a blush of humiliation rising on her cheeks.

"Sakura?"

Her eyes snapped up to Sasuke's. "What is it?"

"You look uncomfortable."

Shaking her head, she gave him a smile. "Do I? It's nothing."

His eyebrows knitted together. "You don't like it here."

Her smile dropped and her stomach plummeted. It wasn't a question. "…No."

Instead of seeming annoyed, Sasuke sighed and leaned back in his seat, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. "You should have just told me that – I don't like it, either. My mother mentioned this place and said it would make a good impression on you."

And just like that, Sakura's smile returned. "You told your mom about me?"

There was a pause, one where Sasuke looked startled. "Yeah…"

He told his parents about her! For some reason, that made the discomfort fade away ever so slightly. It made her focus entirely on Sasuke and how he now seemed to be uncomfortable. It was like he hadn't wanted her to know about such a thing just yet for whatever reason. However, Sakura thought that it was rather… _adorable_.

She hadn't thought of Uchiha Sasuke as adorable in a long, _long _time.

"Did you tell them good things?" She smiled, resting her chin in her hand as she placed her elbow on the table. "About how my personality is amazing and I'm such good company?"

Sasuke smirked. "Sure. I told them all about your tendency to speak with your fists and how you enjoy winning, even if it means using a sneaky, unfair attack."

Her mouth dropped open in shock and she sat up straight. "They hate me!"

"Actually, they like the sound of your personality."

"B-But _why_? It sounds horrible!"

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke signalled to the waiter. "Because if you weren't who you are, I'd walk all over you and grow bored in no time. Our… _This_ would be meaningless, if that was the case."

The waiter approaching had him turning his head to the side, not looking at Sakura as well as not listening to what she was saying or about to say.

"Are you ready to order, Uchiha-san?"

He shook his head. "We're leaving."

Sakura's eyes went wide.

"O-Oh!" the waiter stammered. "Is something not to your liking?"

"Something like that," he murmured and reached into his blazer, taking out a few notes. "Here. This is for the drinks."

She was still staring at Sasuke with wide eyes when the waiter left. "We don't have to leave."

"You don't like it here," replied Sasuke with a frown.

Her hands clenched into fists against her thighs. "But… I don't want our date to end."

Realising why she was so upset, he couldn't help but smirk. "It's not ending. I'm just going to take you somewhere else."

Oh. Sakura lowered her head and sighed. That was good. Strangely enough, since giving Sasuke a chance, she hadn't wanted to do anything that could mess it up for either of them. It was like watching him trying so hard to make things work made _her_ want to try even harder. So when Sakura had heard that they were leaving, she'd been certain that she had messed things up and that the date was over.

Standing, Sasuke pushed his chair under the table and waited as Sakura also stood up, tugging at the ends of her dress while self-consciously looking around herself. And it was at that moment that he figured out why she was so uncomfortable.

"I don't see what they're all glaring at you for." Sasuke raised his voice ever so slightly so that they could all hear him as he took Sakura's hand, leading the way out of the restaurant. "Maybe it's because _they're_ all below Uchiha standards?"

The women who had been glaring quickly looked away, feeling just as humiliated as Sakura had been.

All Sakura could do was stare at the back of Sasuke's head with wide eyes and a disbelieving yet happy smile. Just those two simple sentences made her insecurities feel less _there_. As arrogant as they were, he made it obvious that he found her to be better than the other women, who were all so very beautiful and dressed in the finest of clothes and jewels.

* * *

Sakura smiled at the waiter as she gave her order, so very happy that they'd had a last minute cancellation.

It was a beautiful place and fortunately, they were sat by a window that looked out at a large, beautifully decorated pond, giving them a stunning view. The waiter had told them that they had outdoor tables also, but due to the winter season, they were currently out of use. That didn't matter. Sakura found that the table they had at the moment in time was more than enough and she couldn't stop her eyes from trailing over to the stunning pond every few minutes.

"How do you know Rock Lee?"

He hadn't spoke in over five minutes and _that_ was what he asked her?

"Self-defence classes." Sakura offered him a smile as she sipped her drink. "I met him when I started the dojo a few years ago, asking Gai-sensei for self-defence lessons. I was the only girl in the class and I didn't really know anyone, so Lee-san offered to work with me as a sparring partner."

She was glad he did, because she wouldn't be nearly as skilled as she was right now without him. Whenever she hit a block, whenever she grew too weak to continue, he pushed her and he pushed her, breaking down those barriers for her like it was the easiest thing to do. In a way, Lee was like her older brother. He was protective of her and would do anything to keep her safe but at the same time, he forced her to learn how to protect herself, so that she wouldn't be relying completely on others' strength.

"Self-defence?"

She nodded once and placed her glass down. "I needed something to do outside of school, something that took my mind off everything else and when I became friends with Gaara, he told me about the dojo he was at. So… I joined. It was a great way to take my mind off everything and at the same time, I was learning to protect myself. I suppose it's like an outlet, even though that probably sounds really stupid and cheesy."

The blush on her cheeks had Sasuke shaking his head. "It doesn't. But why did you need to protect yourself if your father was gone?"

There was a sigh and Sakura resisted the urge to run her hand through her hair. "My mom… kept taking him back," she murmured with a frown. "He kept coming back to us and sweet talking her into thinking he'd changed. Altogether, I'd say it worked four times. So many times, _so many times_ I yelled at her and tried to warn her what would happen, but my dad, he… He kept telling my mom that growing up without a father, especially during my teenage years, would be damaging."

"It would be more damaging to grow up in an environment like that."

"Which is exactly what I told _her_!" Leaning back in her seat, she sighed again. "That's where my anger issues truly started – or became worse. Having to listen to him coming home every night, drunk and then beating the crap out of my mom and then hearing him sweet talking her into his bed… It was driving me insane."

He frowned. "What did you do?"

"I gave her an ultimatum." She shrugged and once more reached for her glass. "Either she left him and never spoke to him again or she gave me up and put me in a care home. I know it seemed a bit dramatic, but… I was tired of it. I was tired of hearing her pain and I was tired of being unable to do anything about it. I had to make sure that the marriage _stayed dead_."

"You were just protecting your mother." The frown on his face was still obvious. "Has she ever said anything to you about the ultimatum?"

Again, Sakura nodded and gave a small smile. "She thanked me for making her see what she was doing to me by staying in such an abusive relationship. My mom was terrified of me growing up thinking it was normal and somehow finding myself in the same situation one day."

Like hell that would happen, Sasuke thought. Haruno Sakura would never allow anybody to push her around or bully her, especially not a man. Then again, even the feistiest of women, even the strongest and most defiant, could be controlled in one way or another. Somehow, they were always broken like Haruno Mebuki had been. And not just women either. Men were also sufferers of domestic violence. He couldn't really say anything about it though, could he? Not unless he experienced it for himself.

"Has he tried contacting you again since the other week?"

Sakura shook her head. "We haven't heard a thing from him. Well, I haven't."

That was the moment their food arrived, making Sakura grin brightly at the delicious smell that wafted straight over to her. It smelled amazing and looked just as good. And unlike the other restaurant (from what she'd seen of other people's food), her plate was completely filled with food and there was none of that rubbish, tiny portion crap going on. After murmuring their thanks, they dug in.

* * *

Somehow, Sasuke had managed to pay for their date. How? By having the waiter refusing to take her money, of course. Instead, with a smirk on his face since he knew he won their little… whatever the hell it was, Sasuke had paid for everything. Looking on the brighter side of things, at least she could give all of the money back to her mother. However…

Standing in front of him now, outside of her apartment, Sakura felt a strange sense of owing Sasuke. That wasn't how a date was supposed to work, right? Well, it wasn't exactly that she felt as though she owed him something. It was difficult to explain. It felt like there was something she _had_ to do, but what?

If this was a movie, he would be leaning in to kiss her right about now. But that couldn't happen. Not yet, at least. It was only their first date. She tightened her hold on his hand for a moment, giving it a gentle squeeze. There was probably something she could do to meet him halfway. Then again, was Sasuke having the same thoughts as her, or did he want to kiss her? It was hard to tell. As always, he was unpredictable.

And suddenly, Sasuke was pulling Sakura against him, surprising her greatly.

A hug.

Instead of a kiss, he was giving her a hug. It was rather warm, she supposed and oddly comforting. And also, in his arms with her face against his neck, Sakura could smell his scent quite strongly. Strangely spicy, yet with a hint of something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Whatever it was, it was appealing and it horrifyingly caused her heart to do a strange thudding sensation in her chest.

She closed her eyes and willed the weird sensation away, returning his embrace.

"I liked tonight," Sakura said quietly into his neck.

"Yeah."

Hearing the silent words at the end of his sentence, she smiled. "Same time next weekend?"

She felt his smile. "Wear another dress."

Sakura couldn't help but chuckle, slowly pulling back ever so slightly. "Wear another suit."

"I suppose it can be arranged."

Stunning him, Sakura leaned up, doing her best to stubbornly close the height distance between them and when he leaned down to make it easier, she turned his head to the side and sweetly kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for tonight, Sasuke."


	11. Don't Mess With Her

**Chapter 11 – Don't Mess With Her**

It had been pouring down with rain all week.

Sighing and resting her cheek against the shoulder by her side, Sakura looked out at the horrific weather.

Since their date, Sasuke had definitely been more affectionate than she thought possible for him. Well, not exactly affectionate, but more like… Sakura wasn't sure. He liked holding her, whether it was her hand, hugging her or simply having her leaning against him.

At that moment in time they were inside of the school library after just finishing their lunch. Really, they were supposed to be studying for the exams that were fast approaching, but their minds were elsewhere. Well, Sakura's was. Sasuke seemed fine with completing an outstanding assignment as she continued to lean against him, sighing every now and then while also staring out of the window. In fact, it was almost like she didn't distract him at all.

Annoyed at the thought, Sakura grumbled under her breath before quickly turning her head to the side. "Sasuke–"

Her eyes widened when she saw that he was already looking at her. However, he wasn't watching her eyes, he was staring at a certain part of her face.

He was staring at her lips! What did she do? Was she supposed to say something? Blushing, Sakura turned her head away. She still… She still wasn't ready for anything like that. Sure, she found herself thinking about Sasuke in such a way and it was obvious (considering what had just happened) that he thought of her that way, too, but she was still learning how to trust him. She simply wasn't the type of girl who kissed random guys (even though Sasuke wasn't all that random). If things like that were going to happen, Sakura wanted to be one hundred percent sure that it would be real. She didn't want to do anything and later on be hurt by Sasuke. It would crush her!

"Oi, there they are!"

"N-Naruto-kun, you must keep your voice down, we're in a library."

Thankful for the distraction, Sakura smiled brightly up at Hinata and Naruto as they sat down opposite them. She was trying not to focus on Sasuke, who she could still feel staring at her.

"Is something wrong, Sakura-san?" Hinata frowned softly, seeming worried. "You look flushed."

She felt her cheeks and almost groaned with annoyance because of how hot they felt. No doubt her entire face was red. "It's nothing. It's just so warm in here."

Chancing a glance up at the boy sat beside her, she grimaced. As soon as their eyes had met Sasuke raised an eyebrow, probably asking her without words what the hell her problem was. Maybe she had overreacted? It was no secret that Sakura had the tendency to do that. But… But she hadn't been imagining Sasuke staring at her lips, had she? Or had she?

What if he _did_ want to kiss her? What was she supposed to do? Would it seem stupid if she told him that she didn't want anything like that to happen just yet? What if she hurt his feelings? Or he thought that she was rejecting him? That could mess everything up.

"Stop overthinking," Sasuke muttered to her under his breath.

"You were _staring,_" she blurted out.

He met her eyes and once more raised an eyebrow, uncaring that they now had both Hinata and Naruto's attention. "What?"

Her blush deepened. "Just now…"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and rested the side of his head into his hand, his elbow resting on the table so that he was facing her and the two opposite them could not see what he was saying. "You were saying something under your breath and I couldn't hear you."

Sakura almost, _almost_ dropped her head against the table with a harsh bang. However, one look at the librarian who was watching Naruto closely (it was no secret that he was loud and often caused a disturbance) had her refraining from doing so.

"I didn't realise." She smiled sheepishly, looking away.

Well that was embarrassing. She _had_ been overreacting. Sasuke hadn't been staring at her lips because he wanted to kiss her – he was staring at them because she was muttering under her breath and he couldn't understand what she was saying. He had been _lip reading_. Damn it. Damn it!_ Damn it!_

Noticing her distress, Hinata leaned forward and offered a small smile. "Please could you help me with chemistry, Sakura-san? The homework is due in next lesson and I still don't understand it much."

She nodded quickly and accepted the chemistry homework, thankful for the distraction yet inwardly smirking at Hinata's lie. That girl was a lot smarter than she let on and a hell of a lot more observant. She could do this piece of work in ten minutes. It also wasn't due in next lesson because Hinata had just had chemistry. Still, Sakura was grateful for the distraction as she had already completed her own homework.

Leaning forward like Hinata had, Sakura placed the piece of homework into the middle of the desk, carefully and unnecessarily explaining everything to her. When the boys weren't looking, however, she gave the Hyuuga a grateful smile and silently promised to make it up to her somehow.

"Oh, I understand now." Hinata smiled after several minutes. "Thank you, Sakura-san."

She nodded and sat back, though soon turned her head in Sasuke's direction when his arm touched her shoulders. It wasn't actually wrapped around her, however. It was simply resting on the back of her chair and had been for a while now. So, Sakura didn't make a fuss and instead leaned just that little bit closer, glancing up at him with a smile and hoping he hadn't taken offence to her overreaction. A small smile was his response as well as his arm resting more fully against her shoulders, his hand on her arm.

Before their date – hell, before the elevator incident, Sakura had truly believed that she would be driven insane if she had to spend time with Sasuke, let alone spend all of her lunches and mutual free periods with him (as well as dating him). However… It truly wasn't all that bad and, in a way, she was glad that he was proving her wrong. Sakura was glad that he was making her previous thoughts about him seem so harsh and uncalled for. Sasuke truly had matured. Not just in appearance but also mentally and emotionally. And…

"You're staring."

Sakura's eyes snapped to his, widening. "What?"

Sasuke smirked, making her heart stop as he leaned closer, his face only inches from her own. "You were staring at me."

A blush rose to her cheeks. "I… couldn't hear what you were saying."

It surprised her when Sasuke quietly chuckled, keeping his voice low so that they didn't attract the unwanted attention of the librarian. When his chuckling faded, he was smirking at her once more. "I wasn't saying anything."

"…Oh."

Like on the night of their date, like every single time they spoke since that night, Sakura could pick on his scent, though was still unable to identify what that scent actually was. For a while she had considered it to be sweat, but it was too nice to be that. It was something that she found appealing and after being a member of a dojo for a few years now, sweat definitely was not appealing to her and she had also learned to ignore it. What could it be? Did Sasuke wear cologne? Was it that?

Realising that she was thinking too much about it, Sakura forced herself to stop and instead smiled at Sasuke once more, turning her head to the side to watch their friends. Like she had been hoping, Naruto and Hinata weren't paying them much attention, although their eyes repeatedly looked up from their work and to the couple, only to meet a moment later to smile at each other.

When had Hinata become so calm around Naruto? Leaning more against Sasuke, Sakura watched the pair. There was a respectful distance between them and they weren't hogging the other's side of the table, simply working together and helping the other out with work (although it was mostly Hinata helping Naruto). However, it had to be the most calm Sakura had ever seen the Hyuuga – well, around Naruto, anyway. It was curious and made her suspicious. Had something happened between them? Or was Hinata simply growing used to his presence?

Her anxiety wasn't something she had control over (which was what made her so anxious in the first place). Hinata would rather stay in the back of the crowd with her head lowered, with nobody paying any attention to her. That way, if she messed up somehow or did something unusual, nobody would notice her mistake. It eased her anxiety ever so slightly when people weren't watching her. So… How was she so calm around Naruto, when just the other day, she hadn't been able to look him in the eye without blushing?

It was…

Watching as Naruto looked up at Hinata, asking her something, Sakura couldn't help but smile. There was a warmth in his eyes, a friendly look on his face. She knew that idiot too well not to pick up on the fact that he _knew_ about Hinata's feelings. Sure, he could be totally dense when he wanted to be and you would have to beat some things into his head with a truck before he understood it, but… He knew. He knew about Hinata's feelings, but was trying his best not to make her uncomfortable about it.

Did he return her feelings? Or was it too soon to say? Truth be told, they had only started speaking to one another on the day Sakura attempted to meet _Avenger–S_, completely oblivious to the fact that he was Uchiha Sasuke. How long had it been since then? Three, maybe four weeks? So roughly around a month. Some would consider it to be way too soon for anything to happen between Naruto and Hinata, especially the latter.

Well, it wouldn't really be Hinata who believed it to be too soon. It would be her family. Her father, Hyuuga Hiashi, was a proud, traditional man and Sakura had only had the 'honour' of meeting him twice and both times, he'd looked at her with barely concealed disdain. Hinata, on the other hand, had been in love with Uzumaki Naruto since they were just eleven years old – so around six or seven years.

"Sakura," Sasuke murmured as he pulled his arm away and stood up, "come with me."

She paused in automatically collecting her things, frowning up at him for a moment. The look on his face told her not to argue, however and seeing the look, she quickly packed away her books and politely smiled at both Naruto and Hinata. "Are we still going to the shop after school, Naruto?"

He nodded enthusiastically, grinning. "Yeah. There's something I need to ask you, anyway."

Almost instantly, Hinata began to fidget with one of her sleeves, looking between them both.

"I'll meet you near the entrance after last lesson, then. See you both later."

"Goodbye, Sakura-san, Sasuke-kun."

"Bye."

Before anything else could be said, just as she had swung her bag over her shoulder, Sasuke took her hand and guided the way out of the library, walking too fast for them to walk side by side. It made her frown return. What was up with him and why was he acting so weird all of a sudden? Was it something she said? They stopped abruptly with Sasuke turning around, almost causing Sakura to slam right into him.

"What the hell is your problem?"

"Don't interfere."

Wait, what? "What?"

"With Naruto and Hinata," replied Sasuke as he gave her a serious look. "He told me that he thinks Hinata likes him–"

"She _does_."

"–but he doesn't know how he feels yet. That's why he's hanging around her more than usual. He wants to see where it goes."

Oh. And that was why Sasuke had been so weird so suddenly. He wanted to make sure she knew Naruto's plans before she blurted something stupid out and ruined it all. She had to admit, it was a good plan and there was no scheming – just Naruto trying to figure out whether or not he returned Hinata's feelings by hanging out with her. However…

"Don't let him lead her on, Sasuke," she told him just as seriously. "I know Naruto's not the kind of guy to do something like that, but Hinata… She's really sensitive and has really bad anxiety issues, not to mention she's been in love with Naruto since we were eleven. It'll crush her if Naruto decides he doesn't return her feelings after spending all this time with her."

He nodded, leaning his side against a locker. It took her longer than she'd ever admit to realise it was her own locker. "He likes her, I know that much. He's just trying to figure out how much. They haven't known each other that long, remember."

By now, more and more students were filling the hallways, a clear sign that lunch was almost over and lessons were about to resume. Unfortunately, she didn't have any frees in the afternoon like Sasuke did, although she got a good hour and a half lie-in that morning which was even better, she believed.

Noticing a large group of girls at the end of the corridor, Sakura sighed. Sasuke's fan-girls. They'd been giving her grief all week now, although she surprisingly never retaliated like everyone expected her to. Why? Not only because she couldn't, but also because Sakura refused to lower herself to their level. If they had a problem with her because of her relationship with Sasuke, then that was their problem. Not hers. She wasn't about to stop dating him to make them go away. Hell no.

They were whispering to each other and sending glances over in their direction, their eyes narrowing when they noticed Sasuke leaning a little closer to Sakura. _What the hell_? It wasn't like she could control him, so why were they acting like Sasuke's actions were _her_ fault? Then again, it was painful trying to think like a fan-girl and Sakura still felt embarrassed by the fact she used to be one of them.

It was nothing she couldn't handle, though. It was just annoying how persistent they were.

"What are you doing this weekend?"

Tearing her eyes away from the fan-girls, Sakura looked up at Sasuke. "Nothing special, I don't think. You?"

He shook his head. "I want to take you on another date."

She smiled. "Then ask."

Much to her amusement, the tips of Sasuke's ears turned pink along with his cheeks. It always gave her a sense of accomplishment when she managed to make Sasuke blush, because it took quite a lot to make something like that happen.

"Will you go on a date with me on Saturday night?"

"Sure. Where are we going this time?"

Sasuke seemed to think about it for a moment, moving closer to her as he did so. "How about the cinema?"

"There's this movie that came out the other day that I really need to see!"

There was a smile on his lips and it widened ever so slightly at her enthusiasm. "Then it's settled."

"And I'll pay for half this time."

He paused. "Sakura–"

"_Please_." She couldn't believe she was begging to pay for half a date! "Let me pay half, Sasuke."

He was frowning at her now, seeming displeased. "I was told that it's always the guy who pays otherwise it isn't a date."

"Who the hell said _that_?" Sakura laughed. "That's so old fashioned and cliché."

"Itachi."

"…Oh." That explained things, then. The few times she'd spoken with Itachi, he'd seemed quite traditional and was definitely a gentleman who respected women greatly. "Just because I'm offering to pay half, it doesn't mean it won't be a date."

It honestly startled her when Sasuke's stance shifted and he caged her in against the lockers, a hand on each side of her head so that she couldn't escape. He towered over her, at least a good foot taller than herself. It was so unlike the days when they were twelve years old, when they'd been more or less the same height – when she'd actually been taller than him, at one point.

"Sasuke–"

"I _want_ to pay."

"This really isn't the place for something like this." She blushed heavily and pressed her hands against his chest, trying to push him away. He was unmoveable. "What if a teacher sees us–"

"We're not doing anything inappropriate." He smirked down at her flustered features, leaning just a little bit closer. "Just talking."

Her eyes went to the ceiling above them, praying for the strength to deal with this side of Sasuke. It was one she'd never seen before and even though part of her liked it, it was too risky to act this way at school. She needed to keep her record clean and the last thing Sakura needed was a teacher busting her for public displays of affection on a school corridor.

While her eyes looked anywhere but at Sasuke's, Sakura felt her blush deepening when she noticed his fan-girls openly glaring at her. Great, now he'd done it. If they hadn't hated her before then they definitely did now. Oh well. This… _conversation_ between her and Sasuke was like a huge middle finger at them and since she couldn't react violently like her mind and body wished she could…

Instead of pushing him away, Sakura's hands fisted in Sasuke's blazer and she smiled up at him innocently when he tensed at the change, his eyes widening a fraction.

"What's the matter, _Sasuke-kun_?" When he remained unmoving, shocked, her smiled slipped into a smirk. "So it's settled, then. I'm paying half."

He quickly came back to himself, one hand lowering from the lockers and playing with the ends of her hair, stunning her for a second. "Think again, _Sakura_."

Why did her name sound so… so _good_ when he said it like that? Thankfully, before their new game could go on, the bell that told them class would be starting in five minutes rang. But then Sasuke did something that made her heart stop. He ran his fingers through her hair, pulling her closer to him and when there was only a couple of inches between their faces, he smirked down at her.

"This conversation isn't over, _Sakura_."

And then he left, making her collapse backwards against the lockers.

What _the hell_ was _that?_

He was losing his mind. That was the only logical explanation she could come up with. Since when was Uchiha Sasuke – the guy who was always serious, always so stoic and aloof – playful? Since when did he show affection? Granted, he'd been showing her affection quite a lot lately, but not nearly as intense as that and definitely not in public areas such as the school corridor. What had gotten into him? Did _she_ do something to make him act that way?

Standing up straight and turning around, she sighed and opened her locker. Was she complaining? Not… Not really, now that she was thinking about it. Only now did Sakura realise she enjoyed the attention Sasuke had given to her. She had enjoyed it in the library and she had enjoyed it just now. Surely that couldn't be right–

"Oi!"

Her locker door being slammed shut by somebody who wasn't her startled Sakura, causing her to drop her books and suddenly, a hush fell over the entire corridor. Everybody turned to see what had happened, all expecting it to have been Sakura who was slamming locker doors shut and getting angry.

But they were wrong.

"What makes _you_ so special, huh?"

She turned around and stared at the girl confronting her with wide eyes. What the hell was her problem? So far, none of Sasuke's fan-girls had actually approached her, although they had sent her horrible glares and things such as that. This was the first one to have actually approached her.

"_Are you an idiot?"_ somebody in the gathering crowds snapped. "_She'll pulverize you!"_

Great. And people still thought of her anger as monstrous and terrifying. Well, everyone except for this girl, apparently.

Her neatly styled, long hair was a deep shade of chocolate brown and it made her hazel eyes seem stunning, especially against her tanned skin. The eyes currently glaring holes into her face were exotically slanted, though framed with false eyelashes. Now that Sakura was getting over her shock, she could also see that the girl was so tanned because of false tan and not a natural one, as it had a strange orange tint to it. Kind of risky considering what the weather was currently like. She hoped it wasn't the instant stuff.

"Excuse me?"

She was smaller than herself, though her figure was definitely curvier (even in their unflattering uniforms). However, despite her beautiful appearance, she was not somebody Sakura recognised or knew, so there was no name to put to the face.

And then, anger began to wash over Sakura as the shock finally left her system. Who did this brat think she was, approaching her in such a way? Her hand was already aching from having the locker door slamming against it just before she moved it away, saving it from being crushed. Not only that, but all of Sakura's books and papers were littering the floor, which only added to her dangerously building anger.

Deep breaths.

If she fought back, she would lose her place at Suna's hospital and that couldn't happen. Not after all the hard work she'd done. So many people would be disappointed with her, including herself.

"You heard me," the brunette snapped, her hazel eyes narrowing. "What makes you so special? You're not even pretty or his type."

So she was definitely a fan-girl of Sasuke's. Perfect. "It has nothing to do with you."

"Oh?" She chuckled humourlessly, her small fists trembling. "So you're admitting that you and Sasuke-sama are together?"

Sasuke-_sama_? When had they started calling him _that_? Wisely, Sakura held back her sudden need to laugh and instead covered her mouth, pretending to cough in order to disguise it. Oh Gods, that was just too funny. Back when she had been a fan-girl, 'Sasuke-kun' had been enough. There was none of that Sasuke-sama bullshit going on.

"Look–"

"And then you come in here, whoring around and throwing yourself at him to anger us–"

_"Oi!"_ she snarled warningly.

Sakura's face began to turn red and not just with embarrassment. Her anger was reaching dangerous levels and she could feel her heart beating all around her body, she could feel her hands shaking with the need to grab something and beat the shit out of it. Her entire body felt like it was on fire and it took Sakura a few moments to realise adrenaline was rushing through her veins. Everyone else mattered very little at that moment in time. All she wanted to do was grab the bitch's collar, yank her forward and slam her fist right into her face until she–

Everything came to an abrupt halt when another girl shoulder barged the brunette, knocking her backwards and instantly, in retaliation, she grabbed the attacker's shoulder.

"What the hell is your–"

The girl who had shoulder barged her turned her head to the side, narrowing a single, blue eye. "Do you have a problem?"

All anger deflated and Sakura couldn't help but stare in shock at the blonde's back, her long and straight platinum hair falling to her waist. "…Ino."

When there was no reply, when the girl merely pulled her hand back and stared in just as much shock as Sakura, Ino's eyes narrowed further and she turned more fully, towering over the brunette. "I asked if you have a problem."

"N-No, Yamanaka-san!"

"Do you have a problem with Sakura?"

Always so intimidatingly calm, Sakura thought numbly. Ino had always managed to snuff out Sakura's anger like she was simply blowing out a candle but at the same time, she was capable of erupting her anger to greater and more terrifying heights.

"N-No!"

"It doesn't look that way to me," Ino retorted coolly, raising a fine, blonde eyebrow. "What's she done to you?"

There was a pause and during that pause, Sakura took a risk of glancing at the crowd, who were now murmuring amongst one another. She couldn't make out any familiar faces other than the guy Ino always stuck with nowadays. He was blank faced, his dark eyes never leaving Ino's back for a moment, like he was making sure she could handle the brunette and not get hurt in the process. Sai, Sakura believed his name to be, although she didn't know his surname.

When the girl eventually answered, her answer had the other fan-girls yelling in agreement, "She's with Sasuke-sama!"

Again with the Sasuke-_sama_, Sakura thought with amused disbelief.

"And? That doesn't give you a right to bully her."

The brunette took a step forward, flushing red with anger and in response, Ino stepped in front of Sakura and dropped her bag to the floor so that her hands were free, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"Do anything to her and I'll mop the fucking floor with you."

"Ino–"

"Be quiet, Sakura," the blonde muttered, her eyes never leaving the other girl's. "You'd do the same for anybody in this school and I think it's _disgusting_," she raised her voice, her glare becoming more vicious, "that nobody stepped in to help you."

She shook her head. "But I–"

"I know about your position at the hospital," Ino suddenly snapped, glancing over her shoulder at Sakura. "And you're not messing it up now, Sakura. Not over something like this. Not over him."

How could Ino know about her opportunity to work at Suna's hospital for the summer? Only the teachers, her mother, Naruto, Hinata and Sasuke knew about it. Had one of them blabbed? No, no they couldn't have because it'd be all around the school by now.

Before she could say anything else, Ino was facing forward once more and staring the brunette down. "So? Are you going to back down or am I going to make you?"

Another pause. Then, so very obviously reluctantly, the brunette took a step backwards and then another one until she was once more with a group of Sasuke's fan-girls. They greeted her like mother hens, checking her over for any marks despite there not even being an actual fight. And just as Sakura was about to thank Ino, just as the crowds began to disperse, the blonde picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder, walking back over to Sai.

"Come on."

"Where are we going?" Sakura heard Sai ask as they walked away. "Art is in the other direction–"

"Don't argue with me right now, Sai. Just follow me."

Sakura leaned back against her locker once more, feeling like she had absolutely no energy left. She should have known that being with Sasuke would mean his fan-girls would have it out for her. But how was she to know that they would actually try something like that, or try anything at all? It made her uneasy. Would there be more attacks like those? Would they gang up on her when she least expected it?

Would her anger feel like it was about to explode out of her again, or would it be worse?

That was what worried her the most. Her anger. What if they did try something again and there was no Ino around to defend her, to blow out her anger? She'd… She would lose her position at Suna's hospital and possibly her scholarships, too. Sakura's chest ached at just the thought and to add to her humiliation, her eyes started to sting.

_Not here._

Sasuke's fan-girls were still at the opposite side of the corridor, still sending her nasty sneers.

_Don't do this here._

* * *

He had a free now, but nobody that he really wanted to spend it with, did. After looking at Naruto's timetable, he knew the blond had gym while Sakura had some guy named Iruka. That class was a double, but he hadn't seen what it actually was. All it had said on her timetable was 'Advanced M'. Perhaps it was advanced maths? Who knows? Sasuke wouldn't be surprised if it was, considering how smart Sakura was now that she was putting her brain to use instead of obsessing over him.

Oh, he didn't regret his actions only a few minutes ago. In fact, Sasuke wouldn't mind doing it again. It had felt so… There were no words to describe how right it felt to show others that Sakura was his. He enjoyed spoiling her with attention both in front of others and when they were alone. In a way – no, not even _in a way_, Sasuke was _proud_ to have Sakura as his and he had only just discovered that feeling just now, when he had more or less had her pinned against her lockers.

Opening his locker, he placed his books inside, pausing for a moment when he noticed a few students rushing around the corner he'd just come from.

"Tch."

Another fight, most likely. Thankfully, his altercation with Uzumaki Karin hadn't been reported, meaning it hadn't reached his father's knowledge. It would have been embarrassing having to explain to his father why he got into the fight, since he would have to tell him that it was all staged and only a part of his plan of getting Sakura to hear him out.

Fights, in his opinion, were a waste of time and pointless, especially school fights. All the girls did in a fight was pull at each other's hair or roll around on the floor like idiots – sometimes even the guys did that. Stupid, if you asked him and definitely not worth the punishment you'd receive.

"_Has she started laying into her yet?"_

She? Sasuke looked over in the direction of the students who were turning the corner, going onto the corridor he'd left Sakura on. He entertained the thought only briefly of Sakura being the one getting into a fight until he turned back to his locker. It wouldn't be her. She knew better than to risk her opportunity like that and besides, who would dare to start a fight with the most angry and violent girl in the school?

"_No, man. Some other girl's gotten herself involved. I think she's going to fight for her!"_

"_What? Why?"_

Idiots. If they kept yelling like that, then they were going to attract a teacher's attention.

"_I want to see _her_ fight! She's supposed to be freakishly strong!"_

Something in Sasuke's gut twisted but he refused to focus on it. It wasn't Sakura. If she knew what was good for her, then she would already be in Iruka's class, where she would remain until home time. If she was anywhere else or doing anything else, then she would be kissing goodbye her position at Suna's hospital and Sakura was way too smart to do something as stupid as that.

And then just as quickly as it had begun, all of the students started to retreat, making Sasuke sigh. If that _had_ been Sakura, it would've been a hell of a lot bigger and longer unless a teacher managed to get involved. He'd never say it to her face, but Sakura reminded him of a pit bull. Not in appearance. But with her anger. Like a pit bull's jaw, Sakura's anger was difficult to stop or put out. Like when a pit bull locked its jaw once it was biting something, Sakura's anger was difficult to get in the way of or stop.

You had to do something to shock her to momentarily distract that anger and during that moment, you had to drag her away from whatever was getting her angry. Well, that was what Sasuke had discovered, anyway. In their short relationship, Sakura had only gotten angry once (twice if you included the elevator incident). Sasuke had managed to surprise her and during that distraction, he'd been able to drag her away from Karin, effectively stopping a serious fight between the two girls.

"You might want to go and defend your girlfriend."

He turned around at the voice, recognising it easily and stood before him was none other than Yamanaka Ino and by her side was a guy he knew to be called Sai.

And at Ino's words, Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about? I was with Sakura two minutes ago."

Instead of answering, she turned her back on him and began to walk away with Sai a second behind her, though she paused for just a brief second to murmur over her shoulder, "Fan-girls."

That was all she needed to tell him to make Sasuke sprint off down the corridor, back the way he just came.

* * *

She was picking up her books and papers when Sasuke reached Sakura only half a minute later and he couldn't help but scowl at how exhausted she seemed. Only moments ago, she had been all smiles and laughs, had seemed so very happy yet a little flustered.

Who the hell had upset her?

Sakura didn't even look up at him as Sasuke threw his bag against the lockers and knelt in front of her, helping her with the papers and books. One of them was quite badly damaged, he noticed with a sigh of annoyance. It was the text book for Iruka's lesson apparently, as it had a massive 'advanced' title on the front of it. No doubt the book was expensive, too. She would have gotten it free at the beginning of the year like the rest of them did, but if anybody damaged the school's property, then they had to replace it. Naruto had had to replace many books already and they definitely weren't cheap.

"…Thanks."

"Who did this, Sakura?"

In an instant, her head snapped up and she paused in accepting the books, her wide eyes meeting his. "Sasuke?"

"Who upset you?"

"It–"

"Don't tell me that it doesn't matter," he growled, already knowing what she was about to say. "_Who did this_?"

Silently, her green eyes slipped off to the side and as they did, Sasuke made sure to follow her line of vision, his dark eyes narrowing at the sight of his fan-girls. Most of them were in his classes. Also, he didn't need to ask 'which one' because it was obvious which girl it had been who confronted Sakura. It was the one who was receiving special treatment, the one who was being treated like she was a God for daring to approach Sakura the way she had. He knew that girl. She was in his English class and vaguely, Sasuke could remember her given name, although he wasn't about to honour her by saying it.

He stood up and grabbed Sakura's arm, pulling her to her feet and she seemed to catch on immediately, because Sakura's eyes suddenly widened further and she tugged on her arm, trying to pull away.

"Sasuke, don't–"

"Oi," Sasuke addressed the brunette rudely, pulling Sakura to his side and forcing her to be still. "I think you owe my girlfriend an apology."

Sakura froze at the word girlfriend and he knew it would be because he hadn't officially asked her to be his girlfriend yet. However, that was how he saw Sakura. Not a girl he was dating or trying to fuck, but his _girlfriend_.

"Y-Your girl…?"

He smirked. "Yeah." The smirk slipped away only a second later. "Now apologise to her."

They had never refused him before and it was obvious they were torn about what to do because many of them hesitated and averted their eyes when he looked at them directly, chewing on their bottom lips nervously.

"But–"

"There are no 'buts'. You apologise to her and buy another text book since you destroyed hers, or I'll make it so that none of you get into the colleges you want."

They all paled. Some even had tears in their eyes.

Sakura was still in shock about the whole 'girlfriend' thing.

His dark eyes met hazel and he raised an eyebrow. "And don't think I haven't noticed _this_." Sasuke raised Sakura's red hand. "If Sakura had hit you, you wouldn't be standing right now, so you obviously did something to harm her. Just for that, I'll add in a bonus of a charge for assault."

The brunette was practically shaking now and like some of the others, tears were filling her eyes. "Please don't, Sasuke-sama! I… I lov–"

He sneered at her, "Apologise."

There was reluctance for a moment as the girl truly thought about it before she faced Sakura. "I-I'm sorry for slamming your hand in the locker. And I'm sorry for trying to start a fight and saying the things that I did. I'll repay you for your text book as soon as I have the money!" She lowered her head in a bow. "Please forgive me!"

"Sakura?"

She was watching the girls with wide eyes as they all quickly followed the brunette's example, all of them apologising and asking for forgiveness. "I-I forgive you," Sakura murmured, still in shock.

"Now that's settled," Sasuke muttered, narrowing his eyes once more, "spread the word: if any of you screw with Sakura, you'll have me to answer to. You're lucky she didn't fight back today."

They nodded shakily.

"Go."

And at his order, they all dashed off to wherever they needed to be, not even daring to glance over their shoulders at the couple.

"Sasuke, that was un–"

He pulled her against him, stunning her for a moment before Sakura sighed and returned the hold, closing her eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Come on." Sasuke reluctantly pulled away and guided Sakura back over to their things. "I'll explain to Iruka why you're late."

"Iruka-sensei…" Sakura groaned, rubbing her face tiredly. "I'm way too tired for maths right now."

Well that answered his question about what lesson her double was. "Do you think he'll give you the lesson off and still mark you as in?"

It was sadly that she shook her head. "I doubt it. He's the one who's pushed me so hard to receive my placement at the hospital."

Sasuke merely sighed.

* * *

"So you of all people should know how much Sakura needs this break."

He'd been talking to Iruka for well over a minute now, ignoring Sakura whenever she tried to butt in. Iruka seemed to be doing the same after just one concerned glance at her exhausted features.

Eventually, he sighed. "I can't give you time off because you're tired, Sakura and I also can't mark you as present, either. I would be breaking so many rules."

Sakura nodded quickly yet sadly. "I understand, Iruka-sensei." Just as she was about to go into class however, Sasuke pulled her back again, much to her annoyance. "Will you stop tugging me around? My hand–"

At the mentioning of her hand, Sasuke raised it just as he had earlier. "She was attacked by another student." Iruka's eyes went wide at the swelling of Sakura's hand. "And Sakura didn't even fight back because she didn't want to risk the opportunity she's been given. However, I don't think she's in any state to be learning right now. She's too stressed and tired."

The man was torn and it was obvious to them both, especially as he glanced inside of the classroom through the window of the closed door. It was only half full today due to most of his students not bothering to turn up for the lesson. After a moment, he turned back to the two teenagers. "I need to speak with your mother before sending you home, Sakura," he told her seriously, pulling his school phone out of his pocket. "Can you drive?"

She shook her head.

"I can," Sasuke stated. "I also have a free now."

Iruka's eyes narrowed for just a second. "All right. Once you've dropped Sakura off at home, come back to me. I will be timing you to make sure you're not trying to get her to bunk off with you." The Uchiha nodded once, thinking it was a fair enough deal. "You take her straight home and you come straight back, is that understood?" Again, Sasuke nodded. "Sakura, please give me your mother's mobile number."

It was only moments later that he was speaking with Mebuki, informing her of what had happened and that he was unofficially allowing her to go home early, though marking her down as present for the class so that it didn't make any negative changes. He also asked her if it was okay with her and if she was comfortable with Uchiha Sasuke taking her home, to which she replied positively.

"It's sorted." Iruka sighed after hanging up before giving Sakura a serious look. "I'm taking a great risk by allowing this, Sakura. Do not make a habit of it and do not make me regret it."

"Yes, Iruka-sensei."

He nodded once, gesturing to the exit at the bottom of the corridor. "Go out that way and try not to let anyone see you. I know it means going out in the rain, but going through the school when you're supposed to be in my lesson is just asking for trouble."

They left as soon as they were dismissed and ran to Sasuke's car as quickly as they possibly could.

* * *

They were both soaked by the time they reached her apartment and Sakura couldn't stop the shakes that were taking over her body.

"Do you want to come in and dry off?" she asked him without thinking about it.

He didn't seem as cold as she was, but the slight tremor that faintly ran through his body said otherwise. However, despite being cold, he reluctantly shook his head. "No, I need to get back to school. Iruka is timing me, remember."

Nodding, she reached out to him, enjoying the small smile he gave to her before he yanked her against him, wrapping his arms around her. Yes, Sasuke was definitely colder than he was letting on and in response, Sakura tightened her arms around him, trying to share what little body heat she had left.

"Thanks for today, Sasuke," Sakura told him quietly, softly. "For coming to find me and looking after me–"

"You're my girlfriend," he answered simply. "Of course I'm going to look after you."

His reply had her smiling. "You know… You haven't officially asked me to be your girlfriend, yet."

Sasuke pulled back ever so slightly, reminding Sakura of earlier that day with the way he was watching her. "Will you?" he asked quietly, the sound of the pouring rain they could so clearly hear, because of the balcony, almost covering his voice. "Will you be my girlfriend?"

He was leaning forward, she realised with a building sensation in her stomach that she couldn't describe. Along with that weird sensation was the tightening of her chest and the mood suddenly felt too serious for her to joke around or tease him, so all Sakura was capable of doing was nodding.

And in response, Sasuke leaned further forward. He was so close now that she couldn't really make out his features and Sakura had an awful feeling that she was going cross-eyed. Surely that wasn't attractive on her? Then again, Sasuke would be doing the same considering how close they were and she couldn't really tell whether or not he was going cross-eyed. She was probably thinking too much into it–

His eyes dropped to her lips, making her heart stop.

And even though earlier that day, Sakura had been certain that she wasn't ready for him to kiss her, because of him standing up for her the way he did and pretty much announcing that they were together, she didn't stop him as his lips descended to hers. It was just a simple kiss, a simple peck on the lips, but at the same time, it felt like so much more than that and Sasuke pulled away much too soon.

Her fingers tangled in his soaked blazer and not even a second later, he was leaning forward once more, this time making the kiss deeper, pressing his lips to hers more fully. They moved against hers without hesitancy, without uncertainty and it didn't surprise her in the least. Uchiha Sasuke was not uncertain or hesitant. He was dominant, he was strong and demanding.

And she was happy to discover in that moment that, in his own way, he was passionate.

When they parted, they didn't move too far from each other, instead keeping their foreheads together. Vaguely, she wondered if it was painful for Sasuke, leaning forward so much. He'd definitely grown since he was twelve years old, after all and he was at least a foot taller than her.

"That should have been our first kiss."

She nodded silently in agreement.

Straightening up ever so slightly, Sasuke cupped her cheek once more before kissing her forehead.

"See you later."

With that, he left.

And not for the first time, Sakura felt massively frustrated with the fact he kept touching her forehead.


	12. A Chance Sighting

**Chapter 12 – A Chance Sighting**

It had been just under a month since the fan-girl incident and school had finished only a few days ago for Christmas, something Sakura was extremely grateful for. Since then, she'd been having long lie-ins and late nights, doing absolutely nothing except for relaxing – oh and going on dates with her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend.

Biting her lip, Sakura looked away from her phone and up at her mother, who was currently preparing a late breakfast. It was a Sunday morning and they had both slept in until noon, though for different reasons. Sakura was simply being lazy whereas Mebuki had been working a late night shift at the diner, but had no work today so she was allowed to sleep in.

She was seated on one of two sofas, her foot digging into the cushion, leg bent at the knee, while the other was stretched out in front of her. It was an awful habit she was slipping into, but Sakura had yet to get dressed, so was currently lounging around in her pyjamas, which consisted of a vest top, a pair of shorts and a thick, warm dressing gown. The dressing gown had matching boot styled slippers, though they were resting at the side of the sofa.

As for her mother, she was still in her pyjamas too, but was in the kitchen. The only reason Sakura could see her was because there wasn't really a wall to separate the kitchen and the living room – the wall only reached her stomach at most, so it was technically a divider that allowed her to see inside of the kitchen. On the other side of the wall/divider were simple counters, one of them holding a sink.

The television was on and it was showing a catch up of the soaps she enjoyed, but Sakura's attention was torn between her mother and her phone. Why?

'_I want to officially meet your mother.'_

That was why.

Uchiha Sasuke, _her boyfriend_, wanted to meet her mother. Was that too soon? They'd been together for about a month now and both of their parents knew about the relationship, as did their friends and everybody in the school. Granted, Sasuke had met her mother a few times before, but only for a few brief seconds when he picked her up for dates. As well as that, Sakura had met both Itachi and Shisui (one being his older brother while the latter was like his older brother).

What would they even do for the meeting? Sit around and watch television? There was a dining table behind them, big enough for four people, so perhaps they could have dinner? That was what people usually did when introducing their boyfriend/girlfriend to their parents, right? But…

'_If you're meeting my mom, I want to meet your parents as well._'

She was already nervous.

'_They want to meet you, too._'

Oh no!

What if they were disappointed when they saw her? What if she somehow offended them? Oh Gods, what would she wear? And her _hair_. What the hell could be done with it? Hopefully, Sasuke didn't want to meet her mother today, or for her to meet his family today, because it would take hours to sort through the rat's nest on top of her head. Nothing could be done with it today.

'_When?_'

Closing her eyes, Sakura took a deep breath. There was no use in getting wound up about meeting Sasuke's parents, was there? Itachi seemed like a decent guy and was definitely a gentleman, so perhaps their father was, too? Or maybe it was their mother that they got the kindness from? Whoever it was, Sakura hoped that they took a liking to her – wait, no. She hoped they both liked her.

'_Christmas Eve?'_

The deep breath she had just taken got caught in her throat.

Christmas Eve… It was a holiday shared between lovers – like Valentine's Day. Did Sasuke mean for it to seem–

Wait.

That was only a few days from now!

The lazy mood she had been in since waking up vanished as Sakura quickly shot to her feet and down the short hallway, all but bursting into her bedroom. Just the sight of it had her groaning. Her laziness was obvious even in her room because instead of putting things in their rightful places, she'd been throwing them on the floor. Books, sheets of paper, clothes and shoes. There was only one thing Sakura had been managing to put in the right place and that was rubbish.

First things first… She opened the curtains and then her bedroom window despite the chill it let in so that she could air out her room. In her hand, her phone buzzed, effectively distracting her and the moment it did, she sat down on her bed. Sakura would have sat on the chair in her room, but it was currently being used as a clothes hanger.

'_We could have lunch with your mother, dinner with my family and then go to the festival after.'_

That sounded quite nice, actually and the idea of spending all day with Sasuke had a smile pulling on her lips.

'_Yeah, I think we should do that.'_

Placing her phone down on the bed, Sakura once more looked around her small bedroom, wondering where to start. She was tidying it on the small chance of Sasuke seeing it when he came over. Of course, the possibility of her mother allowing him inside of her bedroom was rather slim, but that was beside the point. There was always compromise, after all. They could leave the bedroom door open and–

Why was she even thinking about it? It could be left until closer to the time. Sighing, she fell backwards onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Things were going great in their relationship and Sakura was no longer surprised by that fact. No, she was slowly learning to expect good things from Sasuke and not bad. She was beginning to trust him and that trust grew every single day.

Since their first kiss, he'd taken to kissing her every chance he got and Sakura was definitely not complaining. Kissing Uchiha Sasuke was becoming one of her favourite past times. And he made sure not to push too much while also making his attraction obvious, which sounded impossible but it really wasn't. Public displays of affection in school wasn't forbidden, but it wasn't encouraged, either, so Sasuke settled on giving her short kisses before they parted ways, or to greet her.

It drove his fan-girls _insane_. However, thanks to Sasuke's threats and Ino's warnings, none of them dared to try anything with Sakura. They didn't push her to her limits. Also, the brunette who had ambushed her gave her the full amount for a new text book (and the money was immediately given to Iruka, who hadn't been too pleased, yet had been understanding and grateful for the speedy payment).

Ino… was difficult. Many times Sakura had tried speaking with the blonde, to try and thank her for what she'd done, but she seemed so unreachable to her and honestly, Sakura couldn't blame Ino for pushing her away. It was fair enough when you really thought about it. She had ended their friendship, after everything Ino had done for her, over a guy. However despite that, Ino continued to stand up for her and always had her back, protecting her. It made Sakura realise that Sasuke wasn't the only one who made a huge mistake. It also made her realise that, like Sasuke, she had a lot of work to do to earn Ino's trust and friendship again. But where to start?

"_Sakura, breakfast is ready!"_

She sat up in an instant. "Coming!"

* * *

Meeting each other's parents.

It was… It was a big step.

Leaning back against the wall outside of the mall, Sasuke scrolled through his phone to pass the time. It was freezing out and the temperature was continuing to rapidly drop, so much so that he actually listened to his mother's words for once and wrapped up warm. Wrapped around his neck and the lower half of his face was a dark, knitted scarf and it had been a gift from his mother not too long ago.

He was supposed to be meeting Naruto for Christmas shopping (which he was not so secretly dreading) and afterwards, they would be meeting up with Sakura and Hinata. Only last night had Sasuke discovered that supposedly minor detail to their plans but he didn't argue about it. The thought of seeing Sakura was what was getting him through this ridiculous shopping trip in a ridiculously overcrowded mall.

"_Oi, teme!"_

There wasn't time to even think of a reply before a large hand was slapping down on Sasuke's shoulder, almost causing him to drop his phone and while sending a vicious glare over his shoulder, he quickly locked said phone and shoved it into his pocket.

"So, Hinata told me that Sakura-chan told _her_ that _you_ want to meet her mom."

"And?"

"And… It's a big step."

Freakishly enough, that had been his exact thought. "I don't care."

"But does Sakura-chan?"

He paused in turning to enter the mall, once more glaring at the blond idiot stood before him. "What has Hinata told you?"

"Buy me ramen and I'll tell you."

"Naruto–"

"Ramen."

Ten minutes later and they were sat at the ramen stand in the mall. Like Sasuke had known it would be, it was overcrowded and there was barely enough room to squeeze through people without hurting them, not that he was overly concerned about that fact. It was mostly others their age but there was the odd elderly person struggling to push through the crowds.

Sasuke took a deep breath to calm his building anger and out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Naruto slurped down yet another bowl of ramen. And of course, it was Sasuke who was paying for it. When was it not? If the blond was paying for himself, then he would only be having one bowl. If it was Sasuke who was paying, he took full advantage of the opportunity and ate as much as his stomach could take – sometimes even more than that.

They'd been sat down at the stand for over five minutes now after spending the first five searching for it. It was near the opening of the mall, mixed with all the other food stands and market stalls. Only after you passed through them would you reach the actual mall.

Personally, he didn't like ramen though could withstand eating a single bowl of the stuff. Whenever he ate ramen it always felt like it never filled him, so Sasuke would be hungry again in a couple of hours, if that. That was why he didn't class ramen as a real meal. To him, it was more like a snack or a light lunch.

"Well," Naruto spoke and not for the first time, it was with a mouth full of food, "Hinata told me that Sakura-chan thinks things are going really well between you both."

Yes… He knew that already. Sakura would have told him if she was unhappy or uncomfortable. She would have told him if she didn't think things were working out. What was the point in trying to earn her trust if she wasn't willing to be honest with him? After the incident at the restaurant on their date, Sakura was pretty much always honest with him.

"And apparently she's not worried about you meeting her mom. Mebuki already likes you."

Really? Even after all he'd done to Sakura when they were younger? "Did she say why?"

Naruto smirked behind his bowl of ramen, slurping back the leftover soup. "I don't know. Sakura-chan wouldn't tell Hinata that part. Just said that she can tell a bad guy a mile off or something like that."

Kizashi's face flashed in Sasuke's mind and he clenched his fists beneath the table. There wasn't a chance in hell that he'd ever treat or harm Sakura the way Kizashi had Mebuki. Not only because she would break him in half in under a minute, but because Sakura was… She didn't deserve it. Nobody deserved to be hurt by the people they cared for.

"She's just really nervous about meeting _your_ parents."

"Why?"

The look Naruto sent him was disbelieving – annoyed, even. Placing down the now empty bowl, he signalled to the woman stood behind the counter they were sat at and asked for another before turning back to Sasuke. "Think about, Sasuke. Sakura-chan is… Sakura-chan's… scary when she wants to be and she has the worst anger ever. She's worried they'll say something to set off that anger and she'll act impulsively or says something she'll regret."

He shook his head, holding back a smirk. "My mother is hoping she does."

Blue eyes went wide. "What? Why?"

"In her own words, she dislikes the girls of our generation. They're pushovers. I mean…" Turning in his seat so that he was facing the other way, Sasuke reached forward and grabbed one of the signs, lifting it up so that they could see out into the mall. "Look. Girls our age rely completely on guys. They're either obsessed with them or they're cursing them and there's never an in between with most of them."

Naruto followed his line of sight and frowned thoughtfully at the group standing at one of the market stalls. It was mostly guys although there were a few girls there and they all seemed to be in the year below them, if Naruto wasn't mistaken. The girls were clinging to the guys, hanging off there every word but there was one girl who caught his attention in the group.

She looked younger than the rest of them but was taller than the other girls, practically towering over them and her long, strawberry blonde hair fell naturally around her shoulders. And after a moment, Naruto realised that she looked so much younger than the other girls because she wasn't wearing any makeup, whereas their faces were caked in the stuff. The girl continuously sighed with what he presumed as annoyance, often rolling her eyes and muttering under breath, sending discreet glances over in the guys' direction. Her brown eyes showed her dislike of them without a shred of hesitancy, without a care.

Understanding what Sasuke meant, he twisted around in his seat once more and thanked the woman serving him as she placed down yet another bowl of ramen, smiling at him.

"Thanks, Ayame!"

"Just don't overdo it this time, Naruto-kun," she told him sternly, yet there was still a friendly smile on her face and the air around her still felt like that of an older sister. "You'll get stomach cramps again!"

"It's _so_ worth it, though."

She laughed and shook her head, walking to the other side of the stand to serve another customer.

"I get what you mean," Naruto mumbled over his food. "But Sakura-chan wants to make a good impression, you know? She wants them to like her."

Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes. "She already has Itachi's approval and he's the most difficult to win over."

"No way!" the blond exclaimed with a shake of his head, slamming his bowl down. "Your dad's the worst by far. At least Itachi is nice enough to speak respectfully to people. According to Hinata, Sakura-chan thinks he's a _real_ gentleman. Your dad's nothing like him. He's cold and harsh and always gives me a strange look whenever I come over to your place."

Unfortunately, it was the truth. Uchiha Fugaku disliked Naruto, mainly because he believed the blond to be a bad influence on his son. He wanted Sasuke to pass everything with the highest marks, with excellent scores. He believed that it wouldn't happen if Sasuke was friends with a troublemaker like Naruto, somebody who didn't care for his exams or studies in the least.

His mother, on the other hand, enjoyed Naruto's company and had apparently been good friends with his mother before her passing. That alone was enough to win Naruto over, to make him push aside his childishness and his pranks. Knowing that Uchiha Mikoto was a friend of his mother's? It meant the world to Naruto, so he always made sure to be respectful towards her, to always ask her how she was doing whenever he visited. He was always asking her to tell him stories about what his mother had been like.

Half of the time when Naruto was over at his place, he spent a great fraction of the time with Mikoto instead of Sasuke. And like he did Sakura, Itachi also approved of Naruto being Sasuke's friend. He was respectful to their mother and he had Sasuke's back. That was all that had been needed to win Itachi over. Not only that, but Shisui liked Naruto, too. He enjoyed his personality and his character, saying that he was definitely entertaining to be around.

But that wasn't what mattered. Did Sakura really worry about his parents not liking her? What if they didn't? Sasuke couldn't predict their thoughts or what they felt. All he knew was that his mother appreciated women who stood their ground and didn't allow men to walk all over them. His father spent very little time, if any at all, on idiots and would make his displeasure obvious (need he use the Naruto example?) but Sakura was no idiot. She was the brightest in their school if you didn't include that lazy ass Shikamaru.

There was every chance that his parents wouldn't like Sakura, just like (despite Naruto's words) there was every chance of Sakura's mother not liking him. And even if that happened, it hardly mattered in his opinion. He and Sakura were the ones in a relationship, one that didn't include their parents. They simply wanted them to get to know the other. Sasuke wanted his parents to know who Sakura was, just like he wanted Mebuki to know who he was and by doing so, they would realise that his and Sakura's relationship was serious.

"Sasuke!"

His eyes snapped to Naruto's, narrowing. "What?"

"Damn it, stop brooding! I _said_," the blond growled and rolled his eyes, "what're you going to do if they don't like her?"

He shrugged, facing forward once more. "Then that's their problem."

His answer seemed to please Naruto, because he gave Sasuke a grin and slammed down yet another finished bowl of ramen, standing as he did so. "Good! Now we just need to find her a present."

That was why Sasuke was dreading going shopping.

What the hell was he supposed to get Sakura for Christmas?

* * *

Hinata smiled at Sakura, trying to calm her. "M-Maybe you should just buy him some chocolate?"

Christmas wasn't a holiday that a lot of people celebrated, but her mother, after divorcing her father, had always enjoyed celebrating it and spending the entire day with Sakura. They woke up in the morning and exchanged gifts before cooking together, eating Christmas cake and singing along to music and simply… being happy. Sometimes, there were fireworks being set off in certain parts of Konoha and they went to see them, too.

Sakura knew that, in Suna, they didn't celebrate Christmas at all and, there was also no Christmas break. Unless it was a weekend, students still went to school and adults still went to work. In Konoha, however, it _was_ celebrated and Christmas Eve was known to be more for couples and because of this, there was always an annual festival to celebrate love. Sakura had never been to one of the festivals before, considering she had never had a boyfriend at the time, but she had heard that the festivals were beautiful and breathtaking and there was always so much to do. Usually, after the festival had begun to die down, couples went to hotels and…

Her cheeks grew pink.

_That_ wouldn't be happening any time soon, but it still happened with other couples. Because of that tradition, it was pretty much impossible to get a reservation at a hotel and not only that, but also at a restaurant if you were taking your other half out for a meal.

Also, normally, gifts weren't given for Christmases (or birthdays) but Sakura liked the thought of giving somebody a gift to show her appreciation of them. It showed that you were thinking of them and thought hard about what kind of gift they'd like.

Which was why she was currently panicking.

She couldn't think of anything for Sasuke.

Already, she had her mother's gift. All there was left to find was Sasuke's. She would have bought one for Hinata and on their first Christmas as friends, she had, but it turned out that Hinata's father was extremely strict and traditional, and still lived in the olden days or something along those lines. He refused to allow his daughters to celebrate a commercial holiday, so treated Christmas like it was just a normal day.

If she bought Sasuke chocolate as Hinata suggested, then it meant she was serious about the relationship and her feelings were true – well, if she bought him _honmei choco_ then it did. Although… That was usually given for Valentine's Day.

What did she do?

Closing her eyes, Sakura took a deep breath and thought about it. They wouldn't be exchanging gifts until the festival, meaning she had a couple of days still. All she had to do was think about his character and what meant a lot to him.

Her eyes snapped open a moment later as she immediately came up with something that meant a lot to him.

"Come on, Hinata!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed, grabbing her hand and dragging the girl through the large, noisy crowd. "I have the perfect gift."

* * *

"Are you sure she'll like that?" Naruto questioned, squinting down at the gift Sasuke was planning on giving to Sakura. "It looks… old."

Instead of listening to him, he nodded once to the man at the counter, who was quick to place the gift into a box and carefully wrap it up.

No, Sasuke wasn't sure if Sakura would like it, but he'd noticed that she took a fair amount of interest in history and she enjoyed learning new things about the past. There was a story behind gifts such as the one he'd picked up for Sakura, which was what she liked most: stories.

So now he had everybody's gifts. His parents, his brother, Shisui and now Sakura's. His father didn't particularly enjoy celebrating Christmas, as he believed it wasn't traditional, but his mother was able to talk him over and last Christmas, he'd even smiled.

Also, Naruto had Jiraiya's gift, which Sasuke wasn't even going to into detail about. He'd been stood outside of that damned adult stand for so long and so many people had looked at him like he was a damned pervert. Stupid Naruto. Why he took so long choosing a dirty movie, he'd never know. Then again, knowing Jiraiya, the old pervert probably had most of them already. He didn't even bother to hide them at the home he shared with Naruto, saying the blond could watch them any time he wanted as long as he took care of them.

And now Naruto was carrying around a bag that made it obnoxiously clear where they'd been.

"I wonder what–"

"_Uzumaki Naruto!"_

He paled instantly, much to Sasuke's amusement and when Naruto slowly turned around, fearing the worst, his fears were confirmed when he found Sakura and Hinata stood mere feet away, the former shaking with her anger while the latter was looking anywhere but Naruto, her red cheeks only growing redder by the second.

"I-It's not what you think, Sakura-chan!"

"You're a filthy pervert is what I think!"

When she stomped over to them, dragging Hinata along and grinding her teeth the entire way, Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at the sight of his angered girlfriend. He liked that she instilled fear among many with just a certain look and how the crowd was now parting and making room for her, for fear of her anger being turned on them. Sakura didn't seem to notice or if she did, then she didn't care.

Sasuke caught Sakura's arm just as she released Hinata, raising it to grab Naruto and instead pulled her to his side. "It's really not, Sakura," he told her. "It's Jiraiya's gift."

Her cheeks burned even as she continued to glare at them both. "You were both at the adult store."

"I–"

"We had to find him a film he didn't already have!"

Sakura's eyes widened and met Sasuke's. "_We_?"

He wanted to strangle Naruto. "I didn't look at anything."

"_Sure_."

Turning his back on the other two at her sarcastic reply, Sasuke more or less towered over Sakura, leaning closer to her. "I have no reason to."

However, instead of being happy like he thought she would be, Sakura's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You still have them." When there was no answer, she sighed, her hand holding his gently. "Just don't let anybody use your phone or your laptop – or anything you saved those things on."

They were speaking quietly enough that nobody else could hear them, the loud crowd covering their voices easily.

"You don't mind?"

It was the first time they had spoken about the pictures they had sent to each other (well, since the day they decided to meet up as _Avenger–S_ and _Fall–of–the–Blossom_). Her cheeks were still pink and Sakura shook her head. "I… I trust you with them."

That was a lot of trust, Sasuke knew that. And in response he kissed her forehead. "And I trust you with the ones I sent to you."

The blush darkened. "…I forgot to delete them."

He smirked. "Sure."

"Oi, you two aren't going to start making out, are you?"

"N-Naruto-kun!"

Mood ruined, Sasuke glared over his shoulder at Naruto, his eyes narrowing further at the returned glare from the blond. That glare disappeared when Sakura looked around Sasuke's body and sent Naruto a glare of her own.

Hinata looked between the three of them, fingers fidgeting with the sleeves of her thick jacket. "U-Um… Maybe we should… go and get a hot chocolate?"

"That's a great idea," exclaimed Naruto as he threw his arm over Hinata's shoulders, either not noticing or not paying any attention to the fact her face was now bright red and her startled squeak. "There's a great little place in here somewhere, I just hope it's not packed."

He turned back to face Sakura, his glare slipping away as hers did and he reached out, taking her hand in his and guiding the way through the crowd, following after Naruto's loud voice.

"Sasuke?" He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Your parents… Will they expect me to be dressed formally?"

So Naruto was right, after all. Sakura was really nervous about meeting his parents. The thought almost caused Sasuke to smile, as it took a lot to make a girl like Haruno Sakura nervous. "Just wear what you're comfortable in, but nothing too casual. None of us, besides my father on occasion, have worn a kimono or a yukata since I was around eight years old."

She nodded, secretly grateful for that fact since she didn't own a kimono or a yukata. Sure, she had a qipao but it wasn't really suitable if the rest of them were dressed in a kimono. But since they weren't and they would be going to a festival afterwards… Perhaps she should wear her red qipao? And if it wasn't suitable, then Sasuke could tell her that before they left. Feeling happy that her outfit was already planned, she went to smile up at Sasuke, but instead of meeting his eyes, her eyes locked onto a completely different person, her blood running cold at the sight of him.

Her father.

His large arm was wrapped around a woman who appeared to be in her early twenties, the obvious age gap making Sakura's skin crawl and at the look in her eyes, the completely oblivious love, the nauseous feeling settling in her stomach doubled. It was enough to make her pause, to make her stare at them in horror and when she stopped, Sasuke also stopped, frowning down at her.

They looked… They looked happy. Her father had the same look she could remember from her childhood in his eyes. That was how he used to look at Mebuki whenever Sakura was around. He had showered her in affection and praises like he currently was with the new woman.

And she _hated_ him for it. Did that woman even know what she was getting herself into?

"Sakura."

When there was no answer, he followed her line of sight, wondering what could possibly have captured her attention so much and at the sight of Sakura's father, he tightened his hold on her and began to pull her away, ditching Naruto and Hinata who were still walking ahead of them.

"Come on," he murmured, gently guiding her backwards as he tried to find the nearest exit. "He hasn't seen you yet, has he?"

Just as Sakura opened her mouth, her father raised his head and through the large crowd, his eyes met hers, time seeming to slow down as the colour drained from her face, as she held onto Sasuke tightly and allowed him to guide her backwards. "…No."

Anger flashed in her father's blue eyes and Sakura was certain that it was because of the way Sasuke was holding her, especially considering the unmistakable murderous look he suddenly gave to the unaware Uchiha.


	13. Make A Good Impression

**Chapter 13 – Make A Good Impression**

It had been two days since they saw her father at the mall.

After they had managed to find an exit, Sasuke had taken Sakura straight to his car and sat her down in the passenger seat, leaving the door open so she could keep her legs out of the car and breathe the fresh air deeply. It was obvious she had worried him and it was most likely because he'd _never_ seen her scared of anybody before. However, at the time, all Sakura had been able to do was keep the contents of her stomach down.

That woman had no clue about who Haruno Kizashi really was.

And Sakura felt so guilty for not telling her, for stopping her mother from telling her.

She told Sasuke that, too, to which he pretty much repeated what he'd said as _Avenger–S_: to contact her now would be too risky. Not only for her but for them, too. What if Kizashi completely snapped and went on a rage? He knew where she and her mother lived.

He must have messaged Naruto and Hinata somehow because the two hadn't come looking for them, although Hinata sent her a message, hoping she was feeling better soon.

He had been so… supportive that it had stunned Sakura, in all honesty. Instead of overcrowding her, Sasuke gave her space but at the same time made it known that he was there by simply sitting by her side. He didn't leave her alone yet gave her as much time as she needed to collect her thoughts. The balance had been bordering on perfect. And once Sakura had managed to calm down, Sasuke had started the car and drove around, taking her to a place she'd never been before.

It was so peaceful there, so calming and it had taken immediate effect on her. And once the car was parked they'd gotten out and rested on top of the hood, just laying there together until white flakes began to fall from the darkening sky, much to Sakura's happiness. Her earlier mood was forgotten as she watched the snow fall around them and even though it was too light to stick, it was still enjoyable to watch.

"_Will this be okay, Sakura?"_

Her eyes snapped open and instantly flew to the clock beside her bed, widening with horror.

She had five minutes before Sasuke arrived.

_Five freaking minutes._

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Sakura demanded as she hurriedly threw back her covers and all but leapt out of bed.

Mebuki's eyes also widened when Sakura entered the living room. "You were talking to me an hour ago, Sakura. I thought you were already up!"

Vaguely, so very vaguely, she could recall the conversation. It was something about Sasuke's preferences and what he enjoyed to eat as a light snack before lunch. Oh Gods, she must have fallen back to sleep! There was so much that needed to be done. Thankfully, her mother had already steamed her qipao so that it would be ready for today and had set out appropriate accessories to match it along with shoes. However, Sakura still needed to shower, do her hair and makeup and _then_ get dressed.

What could–

The buzzer went off.

Sakura's wide and hopeless eyes met her mother's, the latter's softening at the fear she found in them.

"Go for a quick shower, Sakura," she told Sakura calmly, comfortingly. "I'll have to find some way of entertaining Sasuke-kun until you're out."

"But…"

When Sakura's eyes lingered over in the direction of the bathroom, Mebuki couldn't help but sigh. "I'll make sure he sits with his back to the bathroom."

Hesitating for a moment, Sakura eventually ran into the bathroom just as Mebuki hit the button to allow Sasuke access into the building. Once in there, while trying to calm herself from having a full on nervous breakdown, she started the shower and quickly stripped down, tossing her pyjamas into the laundry basket and hopping into the shower before it had even fully warmed up.

Outside of the bathroom, Mebuki took a deep breath and glanced around her home, making sure that nothing was out of place before she went to the front door, answering just as Sasuke knocked and she couldn't help but smile at the sight of the youngest Uchiha.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun."

"Good morning, Haruno–"

"Just Mebuki, please." She smiled, gesturing for Sasuke to enter. "My husband and I divorced quite a while ago."

Sasuke nodded, inwardly cursing himself for forgetting such a thing but in his defence, Sakura hadn't told him what her mother's maiden name was. "Here." He held out a bouquet of flowers, his ears burning. "My mother has always told me that it is polite to bring your host flowers."

The smile on Mebuki's face warmed and she accepted the flowers with both hands. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun and make sure you tell your mother I said thank you, also."

He nodded once and glanced around the living room.

"I'm afraid Sakura has only just woken up," she informed him sheepishly. "She was up late last night with one of her assignments and slept straight through her alarm. How, I'll never know. That alarm clock is loud enough to wake the neighbours."

Great, Sasuke thought, though smiled politely anyway. What was he supposed to talk to her about? He'd already messed up with her surname and usually, Sasuke was not the type to act formally or politely. It was only because he wanted to make a good impression, to make sure that nothing would stand in the way of his and Sakura's relationship. Her mother meant everything to her and if she suddenly had to choose between them? Sasuke didn't doubt her loyalty to him, he really didn't, but he knew she would choose Mebuki without hesitating.

It seemed Mebuki also felt unsure about what they could discuss because she did the same thing Sakura did when she was unsure of something: chewed on her bottom lip.

They didn't look that alike, Sasuke decided. Sakura had pink hair whereas her mother had dirty blonde and while Mebuki's eyes were green, they weren't the same stunning, attention demanding shade as Sakura's. All they really had in common was their nose and their habits.

Her mother was a stern looking woman, a woman who would hold nothing back when putting somebody in their place should they deserve it and her hard work was obvious, as there were fine wrinkles showing on her pale features. However, she also looked kind and warm and as Sasuke looked around the living room, he could tell that she lived for Sakura, that she always did the best she could for her. He could understand why she admired her mother so much and he hadn't even held a proper conversation with the woman yet.

Their apartment was small, but not so small that there was hardly any room and the way the two females had decorated it made it homely and cosy. The living room and dining room was one room, which connected to the hallway with an archway. There were two doors in the hallway and one of them was wide open, revealing to him dark wooden flooring, a cherry blossom feature wall and a messy bed.

Sakura's room.

The living room had the same dark wooden flooring, which seemed to go throughout the entire apartment from what he could see and to make it more spacious, to make it appear to be bigger, the walls were cream except for the longest wall in the living room/dining room, which was a charcoal grey feature wall that matched the sofas.

In the living section of the room were two charcoal grey sofas spread out in an 'L' shape around a black glass coffee table. And in the corner of the living section was a fairly large television of around forty-two inches, which was also being held by a black glass stand, matching the coffee table. As he looked behind himself at the dining section, he saw that there was a matching black glass table, resting on top of a charcoal grey rug and around the cream walls were pictures of Sakura and Mebuki as well as their friends and other loved ones. Near the television was the kitchen, he presumed. The half–wall reached around the top of the television, if that and gave him a view of a tidy kitchen.

Sasuke was guessing that the door behind the dining table was the bathroom.

"Please, take a seat," Mebuki told him before indicating to the coffee table. "Sakura said that you like tomatoes?"

Yes, he did and since he was quite hungry, he accepted them gratefully. Sakura must have mentioned that his favourite type of tomato was when they were firm and ripe, because as he bit into the cut-up tomato, they were exactly to his liking. "Thank you."

She smiled.

It was twenty minutes later when the shower shut off, when the door creaked open and despite the urge he felt to turn around, Sasuke kept his eyes forward, understanding that Sakura would not be dressed decently. Not only that, but he could feel Mebuki's eyes on him, most likely expecting him to be like the other guys his age, who were all horny dogs who would hump anything they caught sight of.

"You know my brother."

Inwardly, Mebuki smirked at the awkward look in his eyes. "I wouldn't say I know him, but I've spoken to Itachi-san a few times. He and your cousin often come to the diner and go over reports. Sometimes it's just your brother and other times it's just Shisui-san, though." There was a pause. "He speaks about you often, you know. Itachi-san, I mean."

Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction. "He does?"

"Yeah." She smiled at the look in his eyes. It seemed Uchiha Sasuke admired his older brother greatly. "After the incident between you and Sakura not too long ago, before she decided to forgive you, he came to the diner and asked to speak with me." The back of Sasuke's neck was burning for reasons he couldn't understand. "Itachi-san asked me to give you a chance because you've matured since you were twelve years old. He also said he's proud of how you've matured."

Itachi was… He was proud of him? It took a lot to hold back his smile.

"And when you came to pick Sakura up on your first date, Sasuke-kun, _that's_ when I started to believe him."

"Why?"

"Let's just say I know a bad guy when I see one," Mebuki stated seriously, "and you're not a bad guy. I know you won't hurt Sakura again and not just because she can be scary when she wants to be."

Sakura's anger. So Mebuki knew about it, too? Didn't it ever worry her? "Yeah." He gave a small smirk. "It's no secret that people pray to avoid angering her."

Something saddened in her green eyes and they dropped to the coffee table between them. "She gets it from her father," she admitted quietly. "But there's a difference between the two of them."

The words came out before he could stop them, "Sakura doesn't like hurting the ones she loves."

"She told you… about what he did." When Sasuke nodded, Mebuki shut her eyes and sighed. It was only when a hair dryer in the next room switched on that the woman continued, asking, "Has she ever…" She looked up at Sasuke, frowning. "Has Sakura ever mentioned anything else to you about it? She rarely brings it up to me."

The hatred towards Haruno Kizashi once again multiplied within Sasuke. So far, Mebuki seemed like a genuinely nice person, a woman who cared deeply for her daughter and would do anything to make sure she was happy. How could somebody mistreat her the way Kizashi had? And since the topic of Sakura's father began, the woman seemed to have aged at least ten years. She seemed more withdrawn. Unsure of herself.

"Sakura…" Sasuke struggled to find the right words and after a moment, he threw away the thought of making a good impression, of trying to win Mebuki over. This woman, even though Kizashi was gone, was still suffering. It was so clear in her eyes that she was. "She fears him. There's only two things Sakura fears – three if you include losing her place at the hospital and her scholarships – and her father is one of them."

When green eyes opened, tears were filling them. "All I wanted was for her to be happy–"

He cut her off firmly, "But while she fears Kizashi, she respects you." Mebuki's eyes went wide. "You're all she talks about and I'm not just saying this because I'm trying to make you like me. Sakura…" Once more, he struggled for the words. He wasn't one to try and comfort someone, to try and make them happy. "She admires you and everything you've done for her. Staying with Kizashi so that she'd grow up in a family. Choosing her over him. Working multiple jobs so that she'll never go without, to the point of exhausting yourself." He gave her a smile. "She adores you and everything you have done, are doing and will do for her."

Mebuki wiped her eyes, trying to hold back her happy sob. Hearing those things definitely made it all worth it. All the pain and suffering, all the hours she worked, all of the exhaustion and gruelling days… Just hearing that her daughter adored her? That she _admired_ her? So worth it. It was all so, so worth it.

"More tomatoes?" Mebuki asked with a smile, one that she knew wouldn't be disappearing for quite a while.

He shook his head, politely declining.

* * *

"Oh, so you finally joined us."

At her mother's teasing and when Sasuke turned around, she blushed and made her way over to the sofas. "Sorry, I overslept."

He shook his head. "It's fine. Your mother kept me entertained."

And when she sat down beside him and saw what was in his lap, her eyes went wide with horror and snapped to her mother's. "You didn't."

Mebuki scratched behind her head sheepishly and chuckled. "You were taking quite a while, Sakura."

Reluctantly, Sakura looked down at the old photo album, the sight of the picture Sasuke was on making her pout. She was around five years old in the picture, looking incredibly dirty and she was missing her front teeth but that didn't stop her bright smile.

Sasuke turned the page and his eyes widened in surprise. "That's…"

"Ino." Sakura nodded, gazing down at the picture sadly. They had their arms around each other and it seemed to be the same day as the previous picture because Sakura looked exactly the same. Ino was just as filthy, although she wasn't missing her front teeth like Sakura was. Their short hair was sticking out in many different directions but it didn't bother them in the least. Appearances back then never had. "We were best friends for years."

"That reminds me," Mebuki suddenly exclaimed, gaining her their attention. "I saw her mother not too long ago while I was out grocery shopping. She was very pleased to hear how well you're doing. Apparently Ino-chan is torn between art and medical college."

Medical college… "Would that mean Ino would be going to Konoha? If she's studying medicine, I mean." Mebuki nodded. "Oh…"

Noticing the sadness in her voice, Sasuke turned the page once more. Since the incident with his fan-girls, she'd attempted to speak with Ino four times and every single time, the blonde brushed her off in one way or another. It was angering him. Couldn't Ino see that Sakura was trying to make amends? Why did she keep pushing her away?

The next picture had him raising an eyebrow. "I didn't know you were friends with Naruto for so long."

They looked around seven in the picture, possibly eight, and the sight of it had her smiling. "We weren't, really. I just met him in the park that day and never really saw him again until high school."

"Does he remember this?"

"I think so, yeah." Sakura smiled down at the picture. "When he saw that we were in the same class, he sat next to me straight away and said 'found you, Sakura-chan'."

And because of the picture, he understood why Naruto said 'found you' and not 'hello'. They were apparently playing hide and seek in the picture because Sakura was hiding behind a big tree, shushing whoever had been taking the picture while Naruto wasn't too far behind it, a wickedly playful expression on his features.

"We invited him for ice cream," Mebuki recalled. "But his staff wouldn't allow it without all these security checks and whatnot. In the end, Naruto-kun told Sakura he'd find her again soon. About five years later and he was over here pretty much every day." She chuckled. "We couldn't get rid of him!"

The next picture had him tensing, had his eyes going wide once more. "This is…"

Even Sakura seemed shocked to see the picture. "You still have this?"

Mebuki smiled. "It was your birthday, Sakura. Of course I kept the picture."

There were four people in the picture. Sakura, Naruto, Ino and Sasuke. Like Mebuki had told them: it was obviously Sakura's birthday as she was wearing a huge badge with the number thirteen on it. And in the picture, Naruto's arm was over her shoulders, his hand gripping Sasuke's arm and yanking him against them, creating a sandwich and on Sasuke's other side, making sure he didn't move away, was Ino.

They were all smiling.

If only they knew how everything would be falling apart only months later.

Sakura took the photo album from Sasuke's lap and shut it, placing it under the coffee table even though it belonged on the black glass shelf near the archway. "I think that's enough embarrassing pictures." She smiled. "Should we have lunch now?"

There was a pause in the way Mebuki nodded and stood, but Sakura paid little attention to it and instead smiled at Sasuke, gesturing to the table.

* * *

The meal with her mother had gone rather well, Sakura decided. The conversation had been pleasant and light, such as questions about what Sasuke was planning on doing in the fall, or what he was planning on studying. While he hadn't yet chosen a college, he was hoping to obtain a bachelor degree in criminal justice, along with any other qualifications required to become a detective.

So, in other words: he was entering the family business.

He didn't look opposed to the idea, however. In fact, Sasuke seemed rather into it in his own way. His father was the chief of police and both Shisui and Itachi were regular officers, although Itachi was training to become something more (she didn't ask questions, since they were discussing Sasuke's future and she knew how it got to him). He would be the first in the family to become a detective.

Just before leaving, Mebuki had wished him luck and hoped to hear great things from him once he achieved and gained his bachelor degree.

And now here they were, sitting in his car. They had come to a stop only a few minutes ago and Sasuke was giving Sakura some time to prepare herself. The nervousness had crept up on her during the journey to his place and now that they were sat outside a large home, one that was decorated with many flowers and shrubs, that nervousness was turning into panic.

"Are you sure I'm decent?" The place looked so formal…

"Stop worrying."

Sasuke was wearing dark jeans and an ordinary shirt, but that guy could wear a plastic bag and somehow manage to pull it off. "Is it just your parents?"

Pulling his keys out of the ignition, he shook his head. "Itachi and Shisui will be, too."

That relaxed her somewhat. Itachi was a gentleman and Shisui, during the assembly, had seemed like a really laid back guy. According to Naruto, Sasuke had asked them both to accompany him when he went to meet _Fall–of–the–Blossom_, so obviously they were people he trusted greatly. And if he was comfortable enough to trust them with something like that?

She sighed. "Okay, I'm ready."

The second they were out of the car and he reached for the front door (which slid open sideways, might she add), somebody else was already opening it for them, the sight of the woman making Sakura nervously tug at the hem of her red, golden phoenix qipao dress.

"Haruno Sakura, right?"

Sasuke watched his mother with hidden wariness and noticed that behind her, stood the rest of the family.

Sakura nodded. "Yes, Uchiha-san."

And then Mikoto was smiling warmly at her and stepping to the side, gesturing for them both to come in. "It's about time Sasuke brought you over. I've been very impatient and wanted to meet the girl who managed to gain his attention."

She looked around the large home before slipping off her golden pumps, copying Sasuke as he neatly set his own shoes just in front of the step. The floor was cold and nothing more than plain wood, but up on the step was a more luxurious looking wood, one that seemed to go throughout the entire home.

"Here." Mikoto smiled, offering her a set of slippers. "I had Sasuke find out your shoe size from your mother this morning before I went shopping."

Accepting the slippers with both hands, Sakura smiled gratefully. "You didn't need to, but thank you, Uchiha–"

"Just Mikoto."

She smiled sheepishly. "Thank you, Mikoto-san." There was a pause and Sakura took the flowers Sasuke was holding for her. "My mother said thank you for the flowers and she hopes you like these?"

Mikoto glanced behind her at the three males, her smile widening momentarily before she was facing the two teenagers again, gratefully accepting the flowers with both hands. "These happen to be my favourites and I know the perfect spot for them."

It didn't take a genius to realise Uchiha Mikoto was a traditional woman and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as she slipped off into a different room with the flowers. And down the large hall, Sakura returned the polite smiles Itachi and Shisui sent her, but her smile became more nervous as she locked eyes with Sasuke's father, Uchiha Fugaku.

Apparently Sasuke got his looks from his mother rather than his father, as Fugaku had more of a square jawline and his hair was a medium brown, whereas Mikoto's jawline was delicate and her hair was as dark as a raven's feather. As well as this, he was much more tanned than the others. Sasuke definitely had his indifferent expression, though. And when Mikoto appeared once more, she realised that he also had his mother's eyes. However, that didn't make him appear feminine. He was just…

Well, beautiful.

"I have heard many things about you, Sakura-chan," Mikoto told her, gesturing for them all to follow her and not even a moment later, they were entering a large living room. It wasn't traditional like she was expecting it to be, though. The dark navy sofas were both corner sofas, seeming to be framing the dark wood coffee table and behind them, was a large, unlit fireplace. "Both from Sasuke and Naruto-kun."

Her shock was obvious. "You know Naruto?"

"My mother was friends with his before she passed away," Sasuke murmured, sitting beside Sakura on one of the sofas. Shisui sat down on her other side and on the opposite sofa sat Itachi, Fugaku and Mikoto. "Since he found out, Naruto's always coming by here and asking for stories about her."

"Which is understandable," Itachi added smoothly. "Naruto-kun never had the chance to meet his mother. It is only natural for him to be curious as to what kind of woman Kushina-san was."

Kushina. That was the first time Sakura had heard about Naruto's parents, including what their names were. Previously, all they'd been referred to as was 'his parents'. Never any names. "Did you know his father, too?"

There was a pause and during that pause, Mikoto looked up at her husband expectantly. "We went to the same school." Another pause. Another expectant look. He sighed. "Minato was known as a prodigy student who excelled in many things."

"He and Kushina were childhood sweethearts," Mikoto told her. "They were always there for each other and even though they were lovers, they were also best friends."

Sakura couldn't help but smile at that. "I can't imagine how happy Naruto must have been to hear that. He's… always wondered about them, though never knew how to have his questions answered, or what to even ask."

She nodded in agreement, something in her eyes softening. "Despite his loud personality, Naruto-kun can be rather shy in his own way. He was very hesitant about asking me such questions though has definitely been more comfortable with doing so lately. I even managed to find old school photographs for him, which are currently in the process of being copied and framed."

That was… It was amazing. Sakura had believed the Uchiha family to be harsh and cold, but Mikoto was definitely kindhearted and seemed to care not only about her family, but also Naruto. And even though it wasn't her place, Sakura found herself thanking Mikoto for her kindness, for helping Naruto with finding out who his parents were.

"I heard that your mother has also taken care of him."

"Yeah… We met Naruto once while he was still at the orphanage and then he found me again in high school. Whenever it got too much for him, or he needed somebody to talk to, he went straight to my mom. At one point, she was thinking of adopting him…" There was a pause, one where Sasuke stared down at her in stunned silence, since he hadn't known that fact. "But then his godfather returned and he left for a while."

"Has your mother put any more thoughts into the adoption?"

The question was, surprisingly, asked by Fugaku and after a moment, Sakura shook her head. "Naruto seems really happy with Jiraiya-san and a lot of things have happened since we were thirteen years old. My mom barely has the time to sleep, so I don't think she will be adopting anyone any time soon."

Itachi nodded once. "Your mother works two different jobs. It is no surprise."

At his words, Mikoto leaned forward, her eyes sparking ever so slightly. "Your mother works two different jobs? She must be exhausted!" At Sakura's sheepish nod, she smiled. "It is something to admire, Sakura-chan. Many women nowadays rely completely on their men to provide for them. I respect that your mother earns her own living and provides for you. Us women do not need men to survive."

Her heart warmed. "I think my mom will like you a lot."

"I hope so," she replied smoothly, her smile warming. "Sasuke has warned me not to push you too hard, but I do hope to meet your mother before you both go off to college."

Before she could even think of a reply, Fugaku asked, "What college do you plan to attend?"

Sasuke had told her that his father was a hard ass, that he expected no less than excellent results and perfect grades.

She opened her mouth to speak, but was swiftly interrupted by Sasuke as he said, "Sakura has received two full scholarships to the colleges in Konoha and Suna, though is unsure which to attend. This summer, she will be shadowing an experienced doctor in Suna's hospital and it will be during the summer that she makes a decision."

There was a pause.

"That's impressive," Shisui commented. "Apparently only one woman has received an opportunity such as that and she was much older than yourself."

Sakura nodded, unable to stop her smile. "Senju Tsunade-sama. I'm hoping to surpass her. Word is, is that she travels a lot and helps out in foreign hospitals, so there's a slight chance she may turn up at Suna's hospital while I'm there."

"And if she does?" Itachi asked. "What will you do?"

Her smile widened. "I'm going to ask her to take me on as her apprentice!"

Silence.

Mikoto was stunned but there was obvious approval in her eyes. "No more needs to be said, I think. You definitely have my approval and Sasuke, you are a fool if you mess this up again."

Both Sasuke and Sakura blushed, much to their amusement.

"I wondered if you would possibly be distracting my son from his studies," Fugaku muttered, watching them both with a critical eye, "but it seems he may be the one who will distract you. Do not let that happen."

Itachi chuckled at their expressions. "You already have my approval. I simply want to thank you, Sakura-san, for giving my brother a second chance. It can't have been easy."

By her side, Shisui smiled at her. "I'm certain his fan-girls believe you to be the lucky one, but personally, I think it's the other way around. I remember you from that assembly. You looked rather angry when I picked on your friend–"

Sakura's blush deepened. "She has severe anxiety problems. I thought it was kind of obvious."

Mikoto frowned at Shisui. "You picked on a young girl with an anxiety disorder?"

He raised his hands defensively. "I didn't know! I just thought she was shy." Chuckling, he scratched the side of his face, speaking to Sakura once more. "You were a good friend to stand up for her like that, however. Not many people interrupt me the way you did."

"A back bone, as well." The woman smiled. "Even better."

Itachi explained his mother's words when Sakura looked confused. "Naruto-kun has told my mother all about your… anger. Sasuke clarified it, but did not say much."

Great. Sakura made a mental note to strangle them both later on. "I'm working on it."

"You want my opinion?" She looked up at Shisui, who shrugged. "Don't. I think more women need to express their anger instead of bottling it up and allowing men to walk all over them."

Clearly he didn't realise just how serious her anger could be. Instead of going into detail or explaining why that wasn't an option, however, she smiled politely. After all, even if she did work on her anger and managed to control it, it didn't mean that Sakura would allow a man – or _anybody_ – to walk all over her. She'd still put that person in their place.

"Sakura also goes to the dojo owned by Maito Gai."

At Sasuke's words, Fugaku raised an eyebrow. "The one co-owned by Hatake Kakashi?"

Sakura nodded when he looked at her. "Kakashi-sensei is rarely ever there because of his job, but when he is, there's always some kind of contest between them both. Gai-sensei goes all out, Kakashi-sensei goes all out and in the end, we all end up joining in. It's really fun!"

"So you can fight."

A pause. "I started at first just to learn self-defence but I made friends there, ones who thought I could benefit with learning martial arts, too. It's more so I don't become a hermit more than anything, I think. If it weren't for the dojo, I'd be crammed up in my room with my assignments, only leaving for food."

At her sheepish chuckle, Mikoto smiled. "You are a hard worker." She nodded. "It is nothing to be embarrassed about. I was like that at school, too."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at his mother, earning a quiet chuckle.

"Since you have both just had lunch, dinner won't be served for another few hours. Sasuke, why don't you show Sakura-chan around? I'm certain she will enjoy the pond despite the snow."

They had a freaking _pond_?

He nodded once and stood up, waiting for Sakura as she also stood up.

Just as they were about to leave the room, Mikoto called after him, "Make sure you stay on the veranda, Sasuke. I will be very unhappy if you ruin Sakura-chan's qipao."

He held back the urge to grumble under his breath, instead taking Sakura's hand and leading her to the double sliding doors that would take them outside.

The moment they were gone, Shisui sat up and raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

Mikoto smiled. "I like her."

Three sets of eyes went straight to Fugaku expectantly and the man sighed. "Sasuke seems fond of her."

"Do you approve?" she pushed.

The eventual nod had her smiling brightly.

* * *

"Sasuke!"

He leaned back slightly. "What?"

"Somebody might see," she hissed, dragging his hand away from her side. "It wouldn't be appropriate–"

Cutting her off, Sasuke once again leaned forward, his lips lingering over hers. "Nobody is watching us."

He sounded so sure but Sakura still couldn't help but turn her face to the side when he closed the distance between them, changing his aim from her lips to her cheek. There was a sigh before Sasuke leaned more fully against her, trapping her against the wall.

"Unless they suddenly appear by our side, I assure you nobody is watching us, Sakura."

Hesitantly, she looked up at him. "Are you sure?"

Instead of answering her, Sasuke finally managed to capture her lips with his own, his hand falling to her side while the other was still being held tightly by both of hers. Like their first kiss, there was no hesitancy as he pressed his lips to hers more demandingly, more fully and Sakura found herself lost in the kiss. She was lost in the feeling of his soft lips moving against hers, of his other hand holding onto her hip when she released it. There was a possessiveness about the way he held onto her, tightening his grip on her hips and Sakura would be lying if she said it didn't make the kiss just that little bit better.

When they parted for air, it surprised her to find that his eyes were heavy and his breathing was shallow. But before she could look further into it, he was once more kissing her.

Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, tugging him down to her height and he responded by slipping his tongue into her mouth just as her lips parted during their kiss. There was no gasping and no shock like there always seemed to be in the romance novels she read. Sakura had actually been wondering when Sasuke would push their kiss into something such as this, so she welcomed the action and hesitantly responded by meeting his tongue with her own. It didn't feel weird or disgusting like she'd always thought it would. Sure, she'd kissed a guy before but not like this. Sasuke's kiss was making her feel lightheaded and weak, it was making her feel incredibly warm despite the cold weather and–

Her eyes flew open for two different reasons.

The first being that, belatedly, Sakura realised Sasuke was turning her on.

The second was that she wasn't the only one who was aroused, although his arousal was a hell of a lot more obvious than her own.

Releasing his hair (when the hell had she even grabbed it?), Sakura grabbed Sasuke's wrists, silently telling him to put her down. That was how she realised he was turned on. Just a few moments ago, his hold had slipped to her thighs before he was lifting them up around his hips, trying to get closer, effectively pressing his erection against her.

They were getting too carried away.

"Stop, Sasuke," she whispered, trying to get her breath back.

He nodded, reluctantly setting Sakura down on her feet once more. "I didn't mean–"

"It's fine." Sakura gave him a small smile. "I-I'm not against you kissing me like that. Just… not when people are around, when they could find us in a position like that." Again, another nod. "And, um…"

Sasuke smiled. "You're not ready to take things further."

"Not yet," she told him quietly, truthfully.

They'd only been together for a month, after all.

His forehead pressed against hers and his eyes slid shut. "Don't do that." At her questioning silence, Sasuke languidly opened his eyes and he continued, "That look. It's fine that you're not ready. I got carried away because they like you. All of them."

Her eyes widened and her previous uncertainty slipped away, being replaced by happiness and hope. "They like me?"

He smirked and nodded. "Especially my mother. She has only ever taken to one of my friends like that and that's Naruto."

"Yeah, but I'm not your friend," she pointed out with narrowed eyes.

Sasuke rolled his. "She's never liked any of the girls Itachi brought home when he was my age and made it blatantly obvious that they weren't welcome."

It took everything to hold back her sudden urge to squeal.

"My mother isn't as traditional as she seems," he told her quietly with a smirk. "She was just testing your etiquette. You pretty much won her over with the flowers and how you arranged them yourself on the way here."

Sakura's smile was warm now instead of overly bright. "And your mom won me over the moment she said she respected _my_ mom."

There was a pause as Sasuke glanced over his shoulder, looking back at her with a small amount of reluctance. "Expect some questions about your father." He continued at her frown, saying, "They know your parents are divorced after they asked if I would be meeting them both. Chances are, it will only be my father who asks. If it gets too personal or anything, just tell him."

She bit her lip worriedly. "What if…"

When she trailed off, he sighed. "If my mother picks up on even the slightest hint that you're uncomfortable, she'll find a way to take his attention off you. If she doesn't, Itachi will. He's used to attention like that from our father so it doesn't bother him when he has to cut him off or knock him down a peg or two."

Remembering her conversations with _Avenger–S_ and how he often told her about his older brother and father arguing, she nodded. The last thing she wanted to happen was an argument because of her and Sakura most definitely didn't want Sasuke to be the one getting into an argument with his father. So far, other than his friendship with Naruto, he hadn't stepped a toe out of line and was on his father's good side.

She wouldn't let that change.

According to Sasuke, Itachi never lost his temper, no matter how angry Fugaku got. On the other hand, Sasuke had quite a bad temper and easily lost it depending on what he was arguing about or what kind of day it was for him. If an argument was to break out (and she seriously hoped it wouldn't) then Sakura would rather it be Itachi who was defending her. He could calmly tell Fugaku to back off, in that weirdly polite way of his and then the conversation would be done, over and the problem would be dealt with.

That was what made people so uneasy about him in school. Back during the debate, Sakura had told Sasuke people _feared_ Itachi and it was the truth. But why did they fear him? It was his freakishly calm demeanour. Sakura could vaguely remember what had happened, as just when they started their first year in high school, Itachi had been in his final year. Some guys hadn't liked the way all girls flocked around Sasuke, believing that his older brother was too unapproachable for them to even think about trying anything. It had only gone on for a few days and during those few days, Sasuke had ignored it like he had the fan-girls. However, it ended as soon as Itachi caught wind of it.

The guys who had been picking on Sasuke were cornered (all of them at the same time, might she add) by Itachi in a busy corridor. This part, Sakura could remember clearly, as she'd been right at the front of the huge crowd that had gathered, both Sasuke and Naruto on either side of her and Ino had been just behind her. He'd calmly demanded if the guys had a problem with his younger brother. Yes, they'd replied. They didn't like how arrogant he was.

Sakura had wanted to scream at them for that comment, to yell that her precious Sasuke-kun wasn't arrogant. He was simply misunderstood. The way Itachi had shifted, however, stopped all her attempts to argue and wiped all thoughts of getting involved out of her mind. He was skilled in martial arts and everyone knew that. They knew how hard he was pushed to become the best. He was a prodigy student. What they didn't know was that, while he had a great amount of patience, Uchiha Itachi had one button that should never be pushed.

People messing with his younger brother.

When the guys had continued to curse Sasuke, when Itachi had discovered that his words alone wouldn't stop them, he had reacted to one of them foolishly swinging for him. Only a few minutes later and he was calmly walking away, like he hadn't just beaten up over seven or eight guys by himself. Not once did he break composure.

_That_ was why everyone feared Uchiha Itachi and _that_ was why nobody screwed with Sasuke.

Shoving the thoughts from her mind, for there was no use in fretting over something that might not even happen, Sakura leaned up and pressed her lips softly against Sasuke's in a chaste kiss, one he returned with surprising gentleness.

* * *

"And your father?"

It was only because of Sasuke's warning that Sakura didn't show any outward reaction to Fugaku's question. They had just finished _fully_ discussing what her plans were and what she would be doing in whichever college she attended in the fall. There was also the topic of the jobs her mother worked and what college _she_ had gone to.

Pausing in her eating and making sure to swallow her food, Sakura gave the eldest Uchiha a polite smile. "He's no longer a concern of mine. Or my mom's, for that matter. However, to answer your question," She looked thoughtful for a moment, "the last I heard, he was working with some big business."

Sasuke glanced up at his girlfriend as he chewed his food, watching her reaction. Nothing. She was simply answering his question as politely as possible, while also making sure it was known that he wasn't a part of her life anymore.

"No longer a concern?"

She nodded. "Sasuke told me that he informed you all of my parents' divorce."

Fugaku narrowed his eyes a fraction. "Surely you see him at some point? After all, he is still your father. The honourable thing to do would be to acknowledge his child and raise her."

And that was another fair remark, Sakura supposed. "Even if he thought the way you did, Uchiha-san, I don't want anything to do with a man like that."

He opened his mouth to say more, but Itachi smoothly cut him off, "Each person is entitled to their own opinion. I'm sure there is a completely different side to Haruno-san behind closed doors, leading to your thoughts of him, Sakura-san." His dark eyes lifted languidly from his meal, staring down his father in an unblinking and bored gaze. "However, it is none of our concern unless it is made to be our concern."

It almost floored Sakura when Fugaku briefly closed his eyes and resumed his eating, like he was keeping his temper in check. "I suppose that is true."

"You're going to the festival tonight."

The two looked away from Fugaku and Itachi, turning their gaze on Mikoto as she calmly ate her meal.

"Yes," replied Sasuke, even though it hadn't been said as a question.

Nodding, she watched Sasuke and Sakura for a moment. "I want you both to be careful."

While Sakura's eyes widened and her entire face turned red, Sasuke choked on the piece of food he had been in the process of swallowing, coughing until Itachi reached out and patted him firmly on the back.

"It's not like that," he eventually managed to answer.

By his side, Sakura was still red and still staring at the woman with wide eyes, earning them a moment of confusion from Mikoto before the woman chuckled softly and waved a hand. "Oh, no, no! I didn't mean _that_. However, if you do decide you are ready, make sure you are careful in that area, also. I simply meant be careful tonight whilst you are out. Many get stupidly drunk this time of year and I don't want to hear about either of you getting into trouble."

Shisui just barely held back his laughter, gaining himself a look of amusement from Itachi, who was also silently warning him to keep his laughter hidden. They could laugh at the couple later, once they were gone and wouldn't hear them.

Instead of answering, Sakura's eyes finally broke away from Mikoto's and dropped to her meal. Her words had done many things at once. Such as brought many, many scenes to the front of her mind. It had reminded her of the pictures Sasuke sent to her as well as the video chats they'd had. It took her back to what had happened only a few hours ago outside.

"We will." Sasuke held back his urge to mutter the words. His current thoughts weren't much different from Sakura's and he'd rather not have his thoughts become obvious to them all, so tried his best to push them out of his mind.

"And remember, Sasuke," Mikoto continued, "a gentleman always treats his lady."

He felt Sakura pause briefly by his side, though thankfully, she didn't say anything. No, his mother was not dependant on his father and no, she didn't demand that he should be the one to pay for everything. What Mikoto meant was that treating your partner, especially on holidays such as this, was always appreciated. She believed that women should be spoiled, respected and praised and whatever else that comes along with it, because of all the hard work and pain they had to go through.

Again, Sasuke held back his urge to sigh or mutter. "Yes, mother."

* * *

The festival was breathtaking, just like she'd always thought it would be. It was like every other festival, with music and games and food and laughter, but there was a more intimate mood to it. Somehow, it differed and felt like it was more for couples than families or friends. That wasn't to say that there weren't groups of friends or families there, but they certainly weren't the majority.

Special lights were wrapped around lampposts and trees and above them whenever they walked down a street were huge illuminations, all of which created some sort of picture about love.

And now, as the evening went on and the families began to disappear and head home, it truly did feel like it was only for lovers, especially when Sasuke guided her over to a park a short way away. They were far enough that they could still hear the festival going on, but also so that they had some privacy.

She stayed close to him when they entered the park and found a surprisingly dry patch of grass to lay back on. It was so dark in the park and it had her heart beating much harder and more loudly than it had been earlier, but she was grateful that Sasuke didn't comment on her obvious panic or fright and instead brought her closer to him.

"Why did we leave?" she asked quietly, looking up at the dark sky.

There weren't many stars out tonight, much to her disappointment, but it was nice. A bit chilly, but as they were laying back on the grass, Sasuke had shuffled closer to her, keeping her against him so that they could share body heat.

"You'll see."

And at his words, the fireworks started, much to her happiness.

Sakura had always been a huge fan of fireworks, especially the ones during festivals. They were bigger, more dramatic and demanded everyone's attention. They were beautiful and colourful and they never failed to mesmerise her.

Surprising Sasuke, she snuggled closer to him, though never took her eyes off the fireworks. "Thank you, Sasuke."

"There's something else," he said after a short pause.

She sat up when he did, frowning in confusion when she finally looked away from the fireworks. "What is it?"

"Since the fireworks have been set off, that means it's midnight," replied Sasuke, reaching into his pocket. "Which means it's officially Christmas Day."

Midnight already? Sakura was so grateful that her mother gave her a later curfew during holidays and her dates, just as long as she knew her daughter would be careful and safe.

With wide eyes, she quickly reached for her bag and at the same time as he did, pulled out a long, rectangular box.

A pause.

And then Sakura smiled brightly and accepted his gift, while also handing over her own to him. They opened them at the same time, admiring the different coloured boxes hidden beneath the wrapping paper as they did. The one from Sakura was red velvet, whereas the one from Sasuke was blue satin.

She opened hers without pause, her breath leaving her in a gasp at the sight of her gift. It was beautiful. Always something she'd admired and wondered about, but never actually bought for herself. She simply never had the spare money to do so. What had he gotten her? An Iron and Lacquer necklace. It was a necklace that had a history to it, had a story. That was what she loved most. Not priceless jewellery that could only be worn on special occasions, but gifts that came from the heart, that had stories to them.

As for Sasuke, he couldn't help but be stunned. "How did you…?"

"Know?" She smiled sheepishly. "I have my contacts."

He looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "Itachi?"

Her sheepish smile grew. "He told me what the pendant should look like and the correct colours." There was a pause. "…Do you like it?"

He nodded and leaned forward, kissing her softly. "I do."

Still in the box that he was holding tightly was another necklace, although this one had a specific pendant on it in the colours of red and white. It was the emblem that signified he was a member of the Uchiha family and although nobody really wore the emblem that often anymore, it was definitely something he'd wear all the time. Reaching for the necklace with the family's emblem, Sakura raised her arms and fastened it around his neck, smiling when she saw it fit him perfectly, falling against his collarbone. Only a moment later and he was doing the same for her.

"Do you like it?" Sasuke repeated her question, tapping the pendant on her own necklace.

Instead of replying immediately, Sakura gently tugged on his necklace, the leather cord being able to withstand such a thing and brought him down to her level, kissing him. "I really like it."

He smirked into their kiss. "Did you choose a leather cord instead of a chain just for this purpose?"

Like he had, Sakura smirked and tugged on the necklace once more, bringing his lips closer to hers as he leaned over her. "Maybe."

"Good," Sasuke murmured, his smirk slipping away as he focused on nothing but Sakura and the way she kissed him.

* * *

**A/N - And I have officially finished college! I finished on Friday, but my final exam was today. And I won't be going back to that college when summer is over. Why? Because they fucked everything up for me. I can't remember if I ranted about it or not, but meh.**

**So, just before my first exam (a few weeks ago now), my personal tutor and her head of department told me that I can't come back to the college due to funding issues. At nineteen, they stop and since I'm nineteen next month... Yeah. However, that's all they told me. I had the choice of either appealing or finding another college, so I decided to do both. Only, a different college told me that my allowance has been used up and the government is refusing to fund me anymore. And do you want to know why? Because my college forced me to study a subject I didn't even want to do and that single subject used up all of my allowance.**

**I was supposed to complete this year, pass all of my subjects and then go onto doing my a-levels. That's what they **_promised_** me. I get that legislation and whatnot can change, but why did they make me sit through an entire year of IT, when I could have been doing something that will actually benefit me?**

**Anyway, I've found a different college, one that has found a way to help get the funding I need and hopefully, if it works, then I'll be studying a Humanities - Access to Higher Education course and if I pass _that_ then I'll be going onto university next year!**

**When one door closes, break your way through a different one! ;-)**


	14. Stop Interrupting!

**Chapter 14 – Stop Interrupting!**

She hadn't removed the necklace once.

Okay, that was a lie, because Sakura took it off whenever she was sleeping, bathing or in the shower, not wanting to ruin it, but still! Other than when it was necessary, she didn't remove the necklace.

Turning her head to the side, Sakura gasped for breath and her eyes slid shut when heated kisses littered along her jaw.

Since Christmas Eve, since they had met each other's parents, Sasuke had taken to kissing her like he had the day, every time they were alone. And Sakura certainly wasn't complaining. Sure, sometimes they weren't in an appropriate setting for such makeout sessions, but…

It was hard to explain, really. It was like something took over her body whenever Sasuke touched her, making it difficult to think about anything other than him. Homework? Curfew? Rules? None of them mattered when she was with Sasuke. It was both relieving and terrifying. It brought forth the feelings of having nothing to worry about while she was with him, but also the horrible sensation of falling, like there was nothing for her to cling onto.

It took a lot of effort not to run her hands through his hair and instead hold onto Sasuke's shoulders. If she did the former, she would mess his hair up and they had a lesson next, so it would be blatantly obvious that _something_ had happened. They didn't need any rumours being spread around school.

His breathing was just as loud and just as shallow as her own as Sasuke tilted his head back and captured her lips once more. And as he tugged on her lower lip with his teeth, making Sakura's breathing hitch, he also caused her heart to stop by leaning forward, effectively lowering her onto the blankets.

"Sasuke…"

He paused. His dark eyes examined her features back and forth, taking in her flushed cheeks and her lidded eyes. Just a moment later and he sighed, though continued to lean over her partly reclined position. "Nobody's going to see."

That wasn't the point, Sakura thought irritably. "I don't want my first time to be in this dirty, cramped hideout."

Another pause and this time, Sasuke regarded her with confusion. "I wasn't expecting us to have sex."

"…Oh." Her eyes lost their harshness and Sakura sighed. "It's just… You were pushing me onto the ground and–"

"Lowering you. Pushing involves forcing."

Green eyes rolled. "You _lowered_ me onto the ground, then."

It was with a sigh that Sasuke leaned forward once more, brushing his lips softly against hers. "You don't–"

"Oi, what's going on in here?"

They both froze and with horrified eyes, looked up at the angry blond who was halfway through the entrance of the hideout.

It didn't look good. They all knew that. She was leaning back on her elbows, almost laying on the ground and Sasuke was on top of her. Sure, he was on all fours, but did that really make any difference in a moment such as the one she found herself in? No. In Sakura's eyes, it didn't. And she could feel her face heating up dramatically.

"You can't have sex in here," he yelled angrily, climbing the rest of the way into the hideout and much to Sakura's horror, somebody else was behind him, her eyes wide with shock and her face as red as her own. "This is _my_ hideout."

With a vicious glare, Sasuke sat backwards until he was simply on his knees with his legs parted, giving Sakura the chance to slip out from under him. He didn't like the way she leaned against the wall with her hair shielding her eyes, tugging on her skirt like she was paranoid, like they could all see her underwear. He didn't like how Sakura refused to meet anybody's eyes.

"Shut up, Naruto," Sasuke snapped in return and pushed him out of his way so that he could sit beside Sakura. "We weren't having sex."

Now that there was some room, Hinata slowly entered the hideout, pausing for a moment before she sat next to Naruto, who was currently glaring right back at Sasuke. "N-Naruto-kun, you shouldn't–"

"Doesn't look that way to me, you bastard. I know what I saw."

"I don't care what you _think_ you saw."

"Not think, _know_!"

"You–"

"You–"

Hinata gulped and shrank back against the wall as Sakura leaned towards the two arguing boys and while their attention was on each other, she reached out and gripped their heads tightly, knocking them together without hesitating and ignoring their grunts of pain. Still holding onto them, she turned their heads in her direction, staring them down angrily.

"Naruto," Sakura growled out, her eyebrow twitching, "we were kissing. Not having sex. Clearly you have no experience in that area. If we were having sex, _my_ legs would have been the ones–"

"Sakura-san!"

Breathing deeply at Hinata's exclamation in an effort to calm herself, she turned her head in Sasuke's direction, ignoring his annoyed expression. "And _you._ Arguing back like that makes it seem like you've got something to hide. Just ignore him next time!"

There was no use in arguing, not when it was so very obvious that she was feeling embarrassed _and_ angry. So, Sasuke instead sighed and nodded once, much to Naruto's surprise. He'd never seen Sasuke back down to _anyone_ who wasn't family.

It was the beginning of spring already and exams would be beginning soon, so everybody had been shoving themselves head first into studying. It was a shame for them, really, because spring, in Sakura's opinion, was the best season of the year. Spring signified new life. Flowers blossomed and trees grew green once more. The weather was finally starting to warm up, too. What was there not to like?

In just a few short weeks, it would be her eighteenth birthday.

That also meant that she and Sasuke had been together for nearly four months now. People were used to seeing them together and while his fan-girls still hated her, they no longer went out of their way to show their hatred. Instead they ignored her and acted like Sakura wasn't even there. Better that than have them glaring at her all the time. It got tiresome after a while. Time was passing by so quickly without her even realising. It seemed like only yesterday that she was returning to school from the Christmas holidays.

"What are you planning for your birthday, then, Sakura-chan?"

She looked up at him and frowned. "What?"

"Your birthday, Sakura-san." Hinata smiled, noticing that her friend had spaced out for a moment. "We want to know what you're going to do to celebrate."

Usually, birthdays were not celebrated. However, they all knew that her family was not a traditional one. Had it been, her mother never would have left her father despite the beatings and would have continued to live in a loveless marriage. Not for Sakura's sake, but for the sake of the family's reputation.

"I'm not sure yet," she answered truthfully. "My mom suggested a meal–"

"You should totally do that," exclaimed Naruto. "We'll all come! It's obvious that Rock Lee will be there, too."

Sasuke tilted his head to the side, looking down at her. "You know my mother will want an invite."

She couldn't help but smile at that. "Looks like she'll finally get to meet my mom, after waiting over three months."

Since meeting Sasuke's parents, Mikoto had been very warm towards her and was always suggesting that Sasuke should invite her over. If she needed somebody to talk to, no matter how embarrassing that problem seemed, the woman was there for her. For example, one time when Sakura was over at the Uchiha home, her period had suddenly started but because there was no pain and they were never heavy, she hadn't realised until she went to the bathroom. There had been no fuss made. After politely asking Mikoto if she could speak privately with her, the woman had gone through her supplies and managed to find Sakura everything she needed.

He nodded once, giving Sakura a small smile.

* * *

Time flew by and soon enough, it was her birthday.

The meeting between their parents was definitely a positive one and unsurprisingly, Mebuki and Mikoto became friends, both liking the fact that the other woman also believed they didn't need men to survive.

There was only one incident that tried to get her down, but Sakura had refused to let that happen, as had her mother and Sasuke. What happened? Her father sent her a birthday card. Some would think of it as nice, they would think that he was thinking about her and wanted to make things right. Those people didn't know what kind of man her father was. Not only that, but there was a message in the card, one with a not-so-subtle warning:

_I'll be keeping my eye on you._

With the birthday message and hopes of getting in touch, it seemed like a fatherly gesture, like he was hoping to hear good things from her and if not, then he'd keep his eye out for them. However, that was not the case.

Like she had stated, though: her mother and Sasuke didn't let her focus on it for too long. And everything else about her eighteenth birthday went smoothly and without trouble. Just as she had planned with Hinata, there was a birthday meal, one with her friends and family as well as Sasuke's mother. Fugaku had been too busy to attend, but Mikoto turning up took that off her mind, too.

And now that she was eighteen, she was legally allowed to travel out of the country without an adult.

It kept reminding her of how fast summer was approaching.

"What are you going to do when I'm not here?"

Sasuke looked down at her with a frown. "What?"

She sat up on the grass, sighing. "For summer. What are you planning on doing?"

It was a beautiful day out, in her opinion. The sun was shining brightly and it was incredibly warm, but not overly so. Also, there were many large, fluffy white clouds littering the blue sky, bringing out the cloud watchers who were all lazing around on the grass outside of school, just like herself and Sasuke.

He shrugged.

"No plans at all?" Sakura questioned, leaning back on one of her hands. "No family vacations? No trips? Meeting friends?"

"Sakura–" She tried to cut him off, but Sasuke silenced her. "I'm not going to start looking at anyone else just because you're not here for a few months."

"…That's not my problem."

"Oh?"

There was another sigh and this time, it came from Sasuke when she didn't reply. It didn't annoy him like he thought it would have, though. If she was feeling insecure, then as her boyfriend, it was kind of his duty to take away that feeling, right? And if Sakura was worried about him meeting another girl, or doing whatever with them, then it was his duty to prove to her that that wouldn't happen.

He gave her a small smile. "They don't matter."

Another frown. "What?"

"Other girls," he told her patiently. "They don't matter." When her frown remained in place, he raised an eyebrow. "We've been together for nearly five months now, Sakura. I'm not going to throw away the trust I've earned for some girl I'll be bored of in a matter of days."

She snorted, a playful smirk on her lips. "Oh and I keep you entertained?"

"Definitely."

His smirk was practically sinful, Sakura thought. She sighed. "I'm just… kind of jealous, I think," she admitted quietly. "I want to spend the entire summer with you."

Like hers had, his smirk slipped away and he shifted closer to her. "You're going to Suna, Sakura. Like my father said: you can't let me distract you from what you truly want."

She nodded. "We can still talk, right? I mean, it's not like there's that much of a time difference."

Without warning, his hand raised to the back of her head and Sasuke ran his fingers through her soft hair, enjoying the surprised look in her eyes. It was such a gentle move that she hadn't been expecting it – not that he was ever rough with her. It just seemed so pleasantly out of character, although Sakura certainly wasn't complaining about the attention he was giving to her.

"Stop worrying," he murmured, his fingers threading in her hair. "The only thing that should be worrying you right now is your opportunity. You need to keep their interest and you need to make sure they don't regret giving you this opportunity."

A sigh escaped her as Sakura leaned forward, pressing her forehead to his shoulder and relaxing against him. "I know, I know. It's just…"

Her hair hid his small smile. "I'll miss you, too."

"I won't be gone for all of summer," she stated quietly and leaned back to look up at him. "I'll be back a few weeks before college starts."

A few weeks was better than nothing, right? And during that time, he could finally decide just what the hell he would be doing in the fall. His course was decided, but what college would he actually be attending? Konoha was his home town, was the place he'd grown up in, but change was always a good thing. However, Sasuke was torn about the distance. If he went to Kumo or Oto, he'd rarely ever see his family, friends or Sakura.

Then again, he may not see that much of Sakura anyway. After all, if she found that she enjoyed Suna, then she would be staying there for college.

Summer, for their year, would be starting in just over two months, so was there really any point in fretting over it right at this moment? Wouldn't it be better to just spend as much time with Sakura as he possibly could, just in case they _did_ choose different colleges?

It was selfish, so very selfish, but Sasuke found himself hoping Sakura didn't enjoy it in Suna. He hoped she hated the heat and the sand and the people. He hoped she despised the food and the drinks and whatever else that was different in Suna. But at the same time, he wanted her to enjoy doing what she wanted to do: learning how to help people.

"Have you decided yet?"

It was like she could read his mind. "Not yet."

"Me neither." She sighed again. "I'm kind of hoping somebody will make my mind up for me."

"This is your future. It's your decision and no one else's."

She pouted at his seriousness, though her eyes softened at the look in his eyes. The name of that emotion couldn't be identified, but it looked very similar to displeasure and it made her feel warm on the inside. Sasuke didn't want her to go.

Sasuke's eyes immediately averted, his cheeks turning a soft shade of pink. "What?"

"What?" Sakura repeated, smiling at his sudden nervousness.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?"

His eyes met hers again, narrowing in confusion. "Like that."

With softness? Gentleness? _How_ was she looking at him? Sakura wanted to ask what the hell he was on about, but it felt like if she did, the mood would shatter. The mood wasn't all that intimate, though it definitely felt like nothing else mattered. There were many people around them on the grassy field, yet it felt like nobody could be seen or heard for miles. All that mattered was them.

But then somebody broke the mood for them as they collapsed onto the couple, almost crushing them into the grass. Sasuke did his best to keep the weight off Sakura, but there was only so much he could do when a blond idiot was shoved right into them, tripping over as he did so.

Sakura's teeth ground together harshly and her eyebrow ticked – all signs of her impending explosion.

"_Naruto!_"

The blond was off them in a second, once more tripping backwards to try and avoid Sakura's wrath, but his wide eyes didn't meet hers or Sasuke's as he fell to the ground once more.

And Sasuke's narrowed dangerously when he saw what part of Sakura's body he was looking at.

During the collision, it seemed Sakura's skirt had risen, revealing her underwear and since her arms had been crushed behind her, she hadn't noticed. He was quick to tug it down and cover her once more, glaring around them to make sure nobody had seen anything. Anybody who had, quickly looked away as soon as they met his hard eyes.

"You have ten seconds to explain what the hell just happened," the Uchiha snapped, keeping his hand on Sakura's skirt and not bothering to sit up properly as he remained leaning over her now sat up position, "before I beat the shit out of you."

Naruto waved his hands defensively, his blue eyes wide. "I swear I didn't mean to fall on you guys! We were goofing around and Kiba shoved me–"

"_Oi, Naruto!"_ said boy yelled over at the blond. "_We're going to the shop. You coming?_"

Seeing this was his opportunity to safely escape, Naruto was quick to jump to his feet, smiling sheepishly at the couple. "Sorry, Sakura-chan. It won't happen again!"

"It better not," she growled warningly.

He gulped and nodded, running off only a second later.

As soon as he did, Sakura's eyes slid up to Sasuke's and she raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to keep your hand there for the rest of free period or…?"

Instead of taking his hand away, Sasuke smirked and faced her once more. "Does it bother you?"

"Since we're in a public place," she reminded him, "it does a little."

This time, he was the one to raise an eyebrow, glancing down at the ground for a moment, but just as he raised his eyes to hers, he caught sight of something that had his blood boiling and in response, his hand slid from her skirt to her thigh, holding it and when the guys finally managed to drag their eyes away from Sakura's body, he met their gaze with an intimidating glare.

They immediately looked away.

"Sasuke, you're not being jealous, are you?"

Finally, his eyes tore away from the two guys and met Sakura's. "Jealously implies that I want what somebody else has."

"Fine, you smartass. You're not being _possessive_, are you?"

"Maybe I am."

As always, Uchiha Sasuke was unpredictable to her. "You have no reason to be."

"Doesn't change the fact that I am."

Apparently her boyfriend was in quite a playful mood today, Sakura realised belatedly and the thought made her smile. She liked it when Sasuke was in a playful mood. The air around them was so light and being around him felt as easy as breathing. When his mood was rather down, she felt the opposite and would rather give him time alone to sort his thoughts out. Not very supportive, Sakura was aware of that, but they couldn't be together every second of every day, could they? Sometimes, a person needed time alone otherwise it would all become too much.

It was the same for him, too. If Sakura was having a bad day (temper-wise), then Sasuke would give her some space and wait for her to approach him. When Sakura was feeling stressed and angry, like she had been feeling quite often lately due to exams, it was best to let her sit in the library and study, or sit outside if it was a nice day and simply relax. If he, or anybody else, came on too strongly then her anger would continue to grow until it exploded out of her.

Don't get them wrong, though, because if they were feeling low, they would comfort each other as best as they could. They could have a laugh with each other and felt comfortable discussing certain things with each other. There were merely days when they needed a bit of space and the pair of them knew not to take it the wrong way.

"They don't matter," Sakura repeated his earlier words, smiling teasingly.

He gave her a serious expression, though she could see the warmth in his dark eyes. "Good."

* * *

**A/N - Just a short filler. Kind of a time-skip. I'm not too happy with this chapter and the lack of detail in some places, but I was really annoyed with Kishimoto when I wrote it. He's trolling SasuSaku fans again! But then you get the SasuKari fans trying to rub it in our faces and it's like "no, stop".**

**Anyway, I don't like this chapter, but I posted it for the other annoyed SasuSaku fans. Promise the next chapter will be a lot better!**


	15. Our Last Night Together

**Chapter 15 – Our Last Night Together**

Spring was definitely still her favourite time of the year, but summer was just as great.

Sighing with happiness, Sakura continued to lounge beside the large pool, her sunglasses protecting her eyes from the harsh sun as it glared down at them all. By her side, Hinata was doing more or less the same thing until she sat up and reached for the sunblock, carefully applying a little bit more to her shoulders. They always burnt more than the rest of her body for some odd reason.

"Would you like some more, Sakura-san?"

She lifted her sunglasses and rested them on the top of her head, reluctantly sitting up. It would be best if she did put more on since it was a lot hotter than the weatherman predicted it would be. Accepting the sunblock, Sakura quickly yet thoroughly applied more to her arms and chest. Like Hinata's shoulders, they were the only parts of her that really burned. The rest of her body already had a layer of sunblock on.

"_Oi_!"

The two girls sighed and leaned back in an attempt to dodge the water that suddenly splashed everywhere, but it was a wasted attempt. It was too hot to care much about it.

"If it's this hot here, I don't think I'm going to cope being in Suna." Sakura chuckled and turned onto her stomach, exposing her back to the sun. "I'm too hot to get mad at Naruto."

Somebody dropped down beside her on the large towel she was on, leaning back on his elbows. "I'm not."

She smirked at Sasuke, not surprised in the least that he wasn't too hot to get mad at Naruto. It didn't take much for the blond to anger him. "Is that why you got out of the pool?"

He nodded and turned to lean on his side, his eyes lazily taking in the beautiful sight his girlfriend made. Since they were at the pool at his home, they were all in swimsuits and Sasuke found that he was incredibly grateful to his mother for having a pool put in. If they had gone to the public swimming baths, then he knew he would have been extremely possessive of her.

The image of her in a green bikini would be forever burned into his mind.

"Your back is going to burn."

There was another smirk on her lips as Sakura turned her head to the side, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow. It was difficult keeping up the expression when she caught sight of him and saw that he was fresh out of the water. "You just want to touch me."

It wasn't the sun that suddenly had Hinata turning red and in response, she quickly got up, rushing over to the pool and diving in to try and cool off.

Sasuke chuckled at the Hyuuga's reaction. "You did that on purpose."

"I enjoy toying with her." She laughed. "Plus, Naruto still hasn't made a move yet. I was hoping he'd see her in her bikini and fall head over heels. I mean, look at her. He'd be crazy not to."

Turning onto his stomach like Sakura had, he copied her position of resting his head in his arms, keeping his head turned in her direction. "He might have been distracted by you."

Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Nice try, Uchiha. But I already know Hinata's a lot curvier than I am. Guys prefer girls with curves, right?"

"Not all guys," he argued quietly and closed his eyes, the warmth making him feel sleepy. "I prefer subtle curves rather than the ones that are in your face."

"Really?"

He nodded lazily.

"So you don't think I've got the figure of a boy?"

His eyes finally opened, narrowing on her features. They were serious from what he could tell and it made him frown. Why would Sakura say something like that? She'd always seemed comfortable with her body. "What boy has breasts, except for Choji?"

"You can't say that!" she laughed loudly, burying her face in her arms to smother the laughter. "That's so harsh!"

He shrugged. It was the truth. "You have curves, Sakura." Sasuke sighed and sat up, grabbing the sunblock. "And I like them."

Much to her surprise, a blob of cold sunblock dropped onto her back, making her jump ever so slightly until two large hands were on her back. She tried to look behind her, her eyes widening a fraction when she saw that Sasuke was straddling her hips (though not resting his weight against her).

"Sasuke–"

"I told you already: your back is going to burn."

Sakura didn't argue and instead rested her head back into her arms, her cheeks burning as she felt his warm hands massaging the sunblock into her back. It was incredibly relaxing and she could feel herself melting into the towel beneath her, but Sakura made an obvious effort not to let it affect her too greatly. They were still at the Uchiha home and even though Sasuke's parents weren't in, she knew that Itachi was.

Her body tensed when Sasuke lowered his weight against her, almost sitting on top of her as he continued to massage her back. Sakura was certain that there was no more sunblock left, but she didn't say anything. It felt great having him straddling her hips, having him massaging her back. It relieved the tension that had been building because of the exams. Despite school now being over for them, the tension was still there.

She sighed and Sasuke watched as green eyes slid shut, as she completely relaxed beneath him. He didn't know what the hell he was doing (with their friends in the pool and his brother in the house, no less) but it felt good. Feeling her skin, having her beneath him…

She moaned quietly.

He froze and his eyes widened a fraction.

Keeping her eyes shut and her face pressed into her arms so that he couldn't see her, Sakura shifted beneath him, trying to get Sasuke to continue massaging her. Why did he stop? Yes, her moan probably sounded stupid but–

No, not stupid, she realised after a moment.

Warily, hesitantly, Sakura shifted once more, purposely arching her back and much to her surprise, Sasuke tightened his hold on her and she heard him grit his teeth. Oh Gods.

Of course, over the past six or seven months, he'd been turned on whenever they made out, but she never actually _felt_ the results of their make out sessions. Not only that, but their friends were never mere feet away. Did they sense that something was up? Sakura quickly lifted her head in the direction of the pool and was happy to see that Hinata and Naruto were too busy sitting on the edge of the pool, talking with their backs to them to notice anything.

Was it weird that they'd been together for seven months and hadn't taken it any further than a make out session?

There was a strong urge within herself, telling Sakura to arch her back again, but she didn't. It would already be embarrassing for Sasuke if the others noticed their position or his erection. Well, maybe not their position but if they commented on it, he would have to move, therefore revealing that he was turned on. Damn it. What did they do? If he moved now, he would gain the attention of Naruto and Hinata but if he didn't move, he'd gain their attention anyway.

"Lay down on your front," Sakura whispered.

That was his only option, wasn't it? Inwardly cursing for allowing himself to get so carried away, Sasuke slipped off her hips, making sure to keep his back to the two sat at the pool and did as she said, laying down on his front. Not even a moment later and Sakura turned her head to the side, offering him an apologetic smile. He needed to think about things that would turn him off, but nothing would come to mind.

"My mom booked my flights last night."

Well, that certainly worked. Sasuke frowned at her. "When do you leave?"

"The hospital wants me there as soon as possible since I've finished school now," she told him quietly, her eyes staying glued to the towel they were sharing. "The longer I'm there, the more I'll learn and the more experience I'll gain."

Which would be even better for her scholarships. He sighed. "When?"

There was a pause and much to his surprise, her lips turned downwards and a small dimple appeared on her chin. "Tomorrow night."

That soon? It was only May. They had only just finished school two weeks ago! If she left now, then Sakura would be gone for over three months. Previously, it would have been only two.

"I don't know if I want to go anymore," Sakura admitted quietly. "I'll be there without friends, without family or you, for three months and–"

It stunned him when tears filled her eyes. The last time he saw her crying had been many months ago. He didn't like seeing her tears back then and he definitely didn't like seeing them now. But it had to be scary for her, didn't it? Going away for three months and not having anybody she knew around her. She still hadn't spoken to Gaara either and as far as she was aware of, they still weren't friends.

"Why have you only just told me this?"

"I only found out this morning that my mom booked the tickets. She's always wanted me to do my best and thought she was doing the right thing. You can't just turn an opportunity like this down, Sasuke."

He knew that but he wished he'd had more time with her before she left. He–

"You're leaving tomorrow night." Sakura nodded slowly. "Meaning you will be spending all day tomorrow with your mother and packing." Again, another nod. "Stay the night with me tonight. I'll drop you off tomorrow morning and–"

"That won't be allowed, Sasuke."

The new voice had them _both_ jumping in surprise, wondering just what the hell was going through Itachi's mind to sneak up on them like that. And when the hell had he even sat down near them? Had he been there the entire time? Sasuke felt the back of his neck burning at just the thought. Itachi wasn't looking at them, simply reclined on one of the loungers in his own trunks and sunglasses, but it was obvious that he could hear them.

"You know Father will not allow for you to have somebody stay over."

Sakura looked over at the older Uchiha, leaning up onto her elbows. "What if it was the other way around? What if Sasuke stayed at my place?"

He tilted his head in their direction, raising a single eyebrow. "Will your mother allow that?"

"It's worth a try." Sakura shrugged and climbed to her feet, leaning over for a moment to grab her phone before she jogged over to the house for some privacy.

It only rang a few times.

"_Sakura? Is something wrong?"_

"I just told Sasuke about the flights."

There was a sigh and when she spoke, Mebuki sounded sad, "_I'm really sorry about that, Sakura. I honestly thought that it would be what you wanted, since you've been talking so much about Suna. What did he say?"_

Sakura also sighed and leaned back against the counter in the large kitchen. "He's upset, you know? But since I'll be spending tomorrow with you before I leave, I was wondering if Sasuke could possibly stay over tonight?"

A pause. It lasted for a few moments. _"I don't know, Sakura. I'm working the night shift tonight and I'm not completely comfortable with it just being the two of you at home."_

"I'm eighteen, Mom," she responded quietly. "And nothing like that's going to happen. I'm… not ready for any of that yet and he understands that."

Another pause. Another sigh. Sakura could imagine that her mother was rubbing her forehead tiredly, or possibly pacing with deep thought like she had been a moment ago. "_Will you both be okay by yourselves? There isn't much food in–"_

"We'll figure something out." Sakura smiled. "Thank you, Mom!"

The other woman chuckled. "_Like you said: you're eighteen now. I just want you to be certain and to make sure that you're okay with something like this._" Just as Sakura went to speak, Mebuki interrupted her, saying, "_I know you said nothing will happen, but things change in the heat of the moment, Sakura. If it does, I'd rather you be at home or somewhere safe rather than outdoors or some other place like that. And I know that Sasuke-kun cares for you. Just… If anything like that happens, please be careful._"

Even after agreeing and saying her goodbyes, even as Sakura returned to her friends, Sasuke and Itachi, she was still blushing at her mother's words. Sasuke raised an eyebrow and Itachi raised his sunglasses so that he could see her properly.

"She said yes." At the narrowing of Sasuke's eyes, she sighed. "I got 'the talk'."

Biting back his smirk, Itachi put his sunglasses back on and continued to lay in the sun. "Do you need 'the talk' also, Sasuke?"

His eyes went wide. "No!"

He shook his head with mock sadness. "Mother will be so disappointed. She has been wondering when to give you that talk herself."

Oh God. Sasuke would rather it come from Itachi than her. Knowing his mother the way he did, he knew for a fact that Mikoto would go out and buy a load of unnecessary items before showing him how to use them by using them on fruit.

Sakura exhaled nervously, her stomach doing strange flips. She didn't dare to mention that her mother was working.

"Are we expected–"

Cutting him off with a smile, Sakura shook her head. "I kind of want to spend more time with Hinata and Naruto, if that's okay?"

"Of course it is." It wasn't like he was the only person who cared about Sakura, after all. Those two would also miss her terribly, just like she would miss them. Besides, thanks to Mebuki, he could spend the entire night with her as well as tomorrow morning. That made up for it. "Do we have any plans?"

Again, she shook her head, laying down on the towel once more. "I just want to relax."

It was difficult ignoring the tight sensation in her throat as she watched her friends, knowing that she wouldn't be seeing them for quite a few months. How was she going to tell them that today was their last day together for the summer? Sakura had a feeling Hinata already knew as that girl's eyes never missed a thing, but there was still a possibility that she didn't. As for Naruto…

Sakura put her sunglasses back on and turned onto her stomach once more, resting her head in her arms. It was only noon. There was still plenty of time to tell them about tomorrow.

* * *

"That's…"

"Sudden," Hinata finished for Naruto, frowning in confusion. "Why the rush, Sakura-san?"

It had only been an hour and during that time, Sasuke had talked her into telling the other two. It wouldn't be fair to keep it from them because they both probably had so much planned for the short break they believed they would share with her.

Repeating what she had told Sasuke only an hour or so ago, Sakura reluctantly watched as their expressions fell. Hinata tried to hide her upset, her displeasure, but she'd never had a good poker face. As for Naruto, he felt emotions so intensely that it was impossible for him to try and hide them. They just wouldn't stay hidden.

"Why have you only just told us now?" Naruto questioned, his eyebrows mashing together. "Were you just going to disappear and expect not to hear from us? What–"

"Shut up, dobe," Sasuke snapped. "Do you think Sakura _wants_ to leave so suddenly?"

Watching her friend's expression for a moment, Hinata gave her an understanding look. "It's what is best for your education. The longer you work there, the more experience you gain. It will look good when you apply for jobs."

All she answered with was a silent nod. Looking down at the food in her hands, Sakura picked at it, trying her best to _not_ focus on the other three. Like earlier, her throat was uncomfortably tight and she knew that if she looked up, if she saw their expressions, then her eyes would begin to water. That couldn't happen. Not on her last day with them.

Sasuke sighed as he watched his girlfriend and leaned back on his elbows so that he was partly reclined. They were all still in their bathing suits and still sitting on the towels that were laid out on the grass, completely ignoring the loungers that were beside the pool. At some point, Itachi had disappeared inside at the calling of his name, only to reappear once more with a tray filled with sandwiches, salads and other snacks and drinks, made by Mikoto (who had returned during that time). Soon after, he left the home completely after dressing. No surprise, really. If Sasuke was remembering correctly (and he had a good memory) then Itachi had a shift at the station that afternoon.

Naruto also sighed. "Sorry, Sakura-chan. I didn't mean to snap at you."

She shook her head.

It only took him a moment to see the trembling of her bottom lip and as soon as he did, his eyes were wide and he was moving forward, quickly and clumsily hugging her.

"Don't be sad, Sakura-chan. I'm really, _really sorry_!"

Feeling warm tears dripping onto his shoulder pained him greatly. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "You haven't done anything wrong."

"I should have told you all sooner, but I only found out this morning a-and…"

Sasuke sat up and forced Naruto to let go of her, instantly pulling Sakura against him once she was free. And instead of weakly returning the hold like she had with Naruto, Sakura clung to him tightly, pulling him against her until it was difficult to even breathe and he had to focus hard on ignoring the feeling of her soft and warm body against his.

Pressing his cheek to the to of his head, he murmured, "Naruto's right for once. You shouldn't be sorry."

Slowly, ever so slowly, she began to calm down in his arms. "I wanted to spend more time with you all before I left, just in case I decide to study in Suna."

"We know, Sakura-san," Hinata replied quietly, her eyes sad.

Naruto punched the palm of his hand, quickly shooting to his feet and looking determined. "Then we'll just have to spend all of today, tonight and tomorrow together!"

It was hesitantly that Sakura pulled back and met Sasuke's eyes.

He sighed.

"Tomorrow Sakura will be with her mother."

The Uzumaki frowned, but didn't let it deter him. "Fine. Then all day today and tonight–"

"Sakura is spending tonight with me." His eyes met Naruto's, narrowing a fraction. "And only me."

Sighing with defeat, for he knew there was no use in arguing with a possessive Sasuke, Naruto dropped to the ground once more and pouted. "Then what can we do? It's already the afternoon."

Sakura turned in Sasuke's arms, though didn't move too far as she leaned back against his chest, resting against him. "I kind just want to relax, if that's okay with you guys? I'm going to be rushed off my feet all summer…"

Hinata smiled. "Of course. Today has been very pleasant and relaxing."

Even though it wasn't the exciting, action packed adventure he'd been planning in his mind, Naruto also nodded. "And when you get back, we're going to do all kinds of crazy things. Got it?"

She smiled brightly and nodded. "Yeah."

* * *

"Will you both be okay?"

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes as she once more entered the living room, Sakura threw herself down onto the sofa beside Sasuke, looking up at her mother with a smile. "You just heard us order dinner – which was unnecessary, by the way, since we have food in the kitchen – and if anything happens, I have your number and the diner's on speed dial."

It was only after a few extra moments of regarding the pair that Mebuki nodded and grabbed her bag, leaving for work with a "Goodbye".

Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura glanced over at Sasuke, watching him as he leaned further back into the sofa and watched the television. It was so strange that he was staying over. Sure, Sakura had had a guy friend stay over before, but Hinata had been there at the same time. This felt – no, this _was_ different. Uchiha Sasuke was sitting on her sofa, relaxing. He was going to be staying over. Sleeping in her bed. With her.

Her heart began to pound and Sakura was so thankful for the distraction when the buzzer sounded, telling them that their food was there. In her rush to get to the buzzer, she failed to see Sasuke's knowing smirk or his watchful eyes as she disappeared down the hallway.

"I'll be back in a moment, Sasuke," Sakura informed him as she grabbed the money left on the side. "The takeout guy isn't allowed to enter the building."

That was strange, Sasuke thought as she shut the door before he could even think of a reply. The takeout guy couldn't get into the building? Why? Everyone else – who were buzzed in – could. In fact, Itachi was pretty much a stranger and had still been able to get into the apartment building. Maybe Sakura simply needed some air to clear her head? She had been blushing right before the buzzer went off. It wasn't just the warmth of the apartment, though. Sasuke knew that for a fact.

Instead of confirming his thoughts one way or another, he got up and entered the kitchen, grabbing two glasses as well as two pairs of chopsticks. There was still a few minutes to wait when he sat back down and placed the items onto the coffee table but it didn't bother him too greatly. She didn't take too long, much to his gratefulness and as soon as she was sat down, they were pouring their drinks into the glasses and digging into their meals, watching a movie that was being played on television as they did so.

It made him inwardly smirk how she kept to one end of the sofa even after they finished eating, like she was wary of being too close to him. And their interaction earlier that day resurfaced into his mind, replaying everything that had happened.

All he kept hearing was her quiet moan.

But… Sasuke knew that Sakura wasn't ready for that. Well, she wasn't ready for sex. What about other things? She was fine with making out just as long as it was in private, where nobody would catch them and look down on them for it. Would she be okay with a bit of petting? What about foreplay? Sasuke forced the thoughts out of his mind and after a few minutes, he was successful.

"My favourite movie is about to come on," Sakura told him as she stood up, confusing him by switching off the television. "We can watch it in bed."

The thoughts came flooding back, like somebody had suddenly released a dam. There was no getting rid of them this time, he realised not even a second later and Sasuke held back a sigh as he stood up and followed Sakura into her bedroom, glancing around at the way it was set out. He'd already taken a look at it earlier, when he dumped his bag beside her bed. It suited her rather well, in all honesty. A little too girly for his liking, but it was definitely comfortable.

It had gone eleven, he noticed belatedly thanks to the clock beside her bed and seeing that she was shuffling through her dresser, looking for pyjamas, he swiftly removed his shirt. Scooting around her to get to his bag, he put a hand on her back to make sure Sakura wouldn't back up into him, though wasn't prepared for her to jump at the touch and whirl around, her eyes widening at his half nakedness.

"Sorry." She grimaced and turned back around quickly, but not before he saw the blush on her cheeks. "I didn't know you were getting changed."

Her nervousness was back, he realised with a smirk. "It's fine."

It seemed she found her pyjamas because she suddenly clutched them to her chest, scooting sideways out of the room. "I'll… go and get changed in the bathroom."

Watching her go was rather amusing, in his opinion. It took a lot to make a girl like Haruno Sakura nervous and he was enjoying every minute of it.

While she was gone, he removed his pants and folded them neatly along with his shirt, putting them inside of the bag. Usually, he slept without clothes and his family knew not to walk into his bedroom without knocking. It simply got too hot in his bedroom. Since he was in Sakura's home, however, he would have to sleep in his underwear. They weren't too bad, he supposed as Sasuke stole a glance at himself in her body-length mirror. They were the baggy type, yet not so baggy that they looked ridiculous on him. Hopefully she wouldn't mind him sleeping like this.

He waited until she was back in the bedroom to go to the bathroom and Sasuke didn't even bother to hide his appreciative glance when she entered the bedroom once more. He was quick to go about his business and brush his teeth, anxious to get back to the bedroom and by the time he had, the television was switched on and Sakura was throwing her extra cushions to the ground. There were also two drinks on the bedside table, though they hadn't been there when he left.

"You're sleeping in those?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her question. "Your sleeping in those?"

She blushed again, much to his amusement. In all honesty, Sasuke couldn't see what her problem was. His boxers covered more than her pyjama shorts did. The shirt was… Okay, so it wasn't too bad, but it certainly didn't hide anything from him. He could also tell that she was no longer wearing a bra.

He bit back a smirk.

"I locked the front door, right?"

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke left to check and because no, she hadn't locked the door, he did so for her, setting her keys down in the bedroom once he had. The lights were off when he returned and seeing that she wanted him to get in first, he slid into her bed, surprised when he seemed to sink into the mattress. Memory foam, if he wasn't mistaken.

"I don't like being squashed against the wall." She smiled at him.

He simply nodded and held the covers up for her, waiting for Sakura to get in, too. And Sasuke wasn't going to lie. Even _he_ was beginning to feel nervous now. It was like her nervousness was contagious and as she slid into the bed (a single bed, might he add), the feeling of her skin brushing against his as they got comfortable excited him. It made his heart begin to pound and he had to control his thoughts viciously to stop them from becoming obvious.

Halfway through the movie, Sasuke lost interest. It was predictable. Classic horror, sure, but completely predictable. It still managed to make Sakura jump every now and then, but Sasuke thought her reactions to the jump scares were better than the movie. She looked beautiful, he thought when she jumped once more, bringing the covers up to her chin.

It was with that thought that he leaned up onto one of his elbows, causing Sakura to look up at him, though soon dismiss him when she guessed that he was merely reaching for his drink. He surprised her by laying down half on top of her, making her eyes widen and snap to his. They only continued to widen when Sasuke leaned forward and brushed his lips to hers.

"Sasuke…"

"Trust me," he murmured against her lips.

"I told my mom nothing would happen," she whispered.

His eyes seemed so intense despite the lack of light. "Do you want anything to happen?"

What sort of question was that? It was obvious Sakura wanted something, _anything_, to happen. Her body was already heating up. The blush on her cheeks was obvious even in the dimly lit room.

When she didn't answer, Sasuke leaned against her more fully, his lips ghosting over hers. "Tell me to stop and I will."

"I don't want to have sex yet."

He nodded, nuzzling his nose against hers. "We don't have to have sex to pleasure each other."

Her eyes glazed at that and Sasuke knew that she was thinking back on their video chats, just like he was. Already, he had a semi and when she nodded, he couldn't stop himself from kissing her instantly, crushing his lips to hers. Much to his liking, Sakura responded immediately by shifting the covers over them, helping him with moving over her more easily. She also surprised him by hesitantly parting her thighs, allowing him to rest between them. He did so after only the shortest of pauses and they both released breathy groans when he did.

They had never done anything more than kissing, so Sasuke was wary not to push her too far, but he was also eager to do more, to try more with her.

Again, Sakura surprised him.

Just as she slowly moved her hands over his back, sighing into their kiss at the feeling of his soft skin, she shifted her hips ever so slightly, sending a sharp stab of pleasure shooting up and down his spine. And Sasuke couldn't help but follow his instincts as he responded with his hips rolling forward in a slow grind, one that resulted in them both moaning into the kiss. She was panting only a few seconds into the grinding and Sasuke had to stop kissing her at one point because it became difficult breathe. Well, that and he wanted to watch her expression. She did not disappoint. Her eyes were shut, the blush on her cheeks had deepened and her mouth was open, releasing quiet sighs and whimpers of pleasure.

The hand he wasn't using to lean on fell to her hip and Sasuke looked down between them, his eyes feeling heavy as he watched his hips pushing up to Sakura's. His erection was throbbing in his boxers and even though they didn't cling to him, they felt much too tight, they felt way too restricting, at that moment in time. Her clothes were a nuisance, also.

His hand squeezed her hip for a moment before moving upwards, slipping beneath her vest top and stroking her stomach, causing Sakura to tense for just a fraction of a second when he cupped her breast. Her answering moan made him _ache._

"Sakura…"

At the tugging of her vest top, her eyes widened. "I…"

He stopped trying to remove it and instead kissed her again. If she didn't want to take it off, then that was her choice and Sakura seemed grateful that he didn't push her any further. She relaxed into their kiss, her hands running through his hair and tugging on it when his hand once more cupped her breast, squeezing it for a moment. At her slight wince, he eased up and watched her expression.

Her skin was so soft. It felt like he couldn't be rough with her even if he wanted to be, because if he did, then Sasuke was certain she would break. Sakura looked so small and fragile beneath him, like a porcelain doll. Being rough with her just wasn't an option. Sure, she always appeared as tough and Sasuke _knew_ she could handle herself, but… There was simply something about her at that moment in time that… made him want to keep her safe. Something about her made him want to protect her.

Sakura bit her lip at the softened look in Sasuke's eyes and she couldn't help but smile when he kissed he gently. At first it had started out as a rushed, heated make out session but now it felt more like he was taking his time. Not that Sakura was really complaining because either way, it was enjoyable. She just found it more pleasurable now that he was taking his time. It made her feel more appreciated and like he wasn't only in it for his own pleasure.

She tilted her head back, panting loudly, when Sasuke moved his kisses to her neck and the hand massaging her breast slipped downwards, tracing the waistband of her shorts. When all Sakura did was bite her lip, when she made no move to stop him, Sasuke took it as a sign to continue and slowly, his hand slid under her shorts, pausing for just a split second when he felt that she wasn't wearing any underwear. It made sense, really. They were in bed and she was wearing pyjamas – there was no need for her to wear underwear, too. It was probably more comfortable _not_ wearing them.

Like he had told _Fall–of–the–Blossom_ quite a while ago: Sasuke didn't enjoy porn. He found it fake and pointless. However, that didn't mean that he'd never seen at least _one_ porn video. After all, you couldn't knock something until you tried it, right? Well, that was what Sakura once told him.

Unlike the woman in the video he had seen, Sakura was not hairless, though it wasn't untidy. It didn't _feel_ untidy, anyway. Wait… It was only the top part that was hairy, he found out as his hand kept moving and as the hair disappeared and he reached her outer lips, he could feel that it felt just as soft as the rest of her body. She also didn't feel dramatically and unbelievably wet like the woman in the porn video had looked, either.

That didn't mean Sakura wasn't wet at all, because she definitely wasn't dry. She just wasn't _soaked_. That was normal, right? Considering they'd only just started making out, then yeah, Sasuke supposed it was normal. He just had to do more to turn her on. As though sensing his uncertainty, Sakura's hand followed his into her shorts, raising it a little higher and guiding him into a steady circular movement. It was enough to turn her breathing shaky, to make her hips shift more restlessly beneath him and Sasuke enjoyed the pleasured expression on her face.

Only when he thought she was ready did he slip a finger between her folds, unable to hold back the thought of how she would feel wrapped around a different part of his body. Time seemed to pass by so slowly in his mind and Sasuke was too caught up in his movements, in kissing her, to notice that time was actually going by quite quickly. And her reaction to him adding another finger was one Sasuke hoped he never forgot. The moan she had released…

It made him swallow hard, trying to ignore his now painful erection.

His fingers moved slowly within her, gently withdrawing before just as gentle entering her again. It left her panting into their kiss, her eyebrows knitting together with pleasure and her hands holding onto him tightly. That was until they began stroking his back when Sakura was used to the intrusion, one of her hands stroking its way around him and between them, taking a few seconds before cupping him through his underwear.

Sasuke froze and bit back a groan.

The pained expression on his face had her freezing too and Sakura quickly pulled back her hand, only to have his shoot out and grab it, bringing it back to his erection. Unlike before, however, her hand went beneath the waistband of his underwear and hesitantly, gently, she grasped his length, keeping her eyes on Sasuke as he gritted his teeth. Why did he want her to continue when it looked like he was in _pain_? Well, not exactly pain, but it looked so close to it and she felt so bad for thinking it made him look even hotter than usual.

Holding back her confused frown, Sakura thought back to how his hand had moved during their video chats and slowly, she start a gentle rhythm.

"Harder."

Her eyes snapped to his, widening a fraction and the blush that was already on her cheeks deepened, but she complied and tightened her grip ever so slightly, wary of hurting him. It was her first time holding a penis and it was a lot softer than she had thought it would be. Well, maybe not soft because Sasuke was anything but. Sakura had no idea how to describe the sensation.

Sasuke buried his face into her neck, kissing the skin there heatedly and barely holding back his groan as she quickened her pace, dragging her hand up and down his length. His vision was blurring, breathing coming rapidly and his hips bucked up to meet her hand. It seemed she liked his reaction, or what he was doing to her at the same time, because Sakura's also bucked occasionally, like they were seeking out his.

Just the thought made him impossibly harder.

His forehead pressed against her shoulder and his head tilted downwards, watching the movements beneath the sheet. It was only thanks to his eyes adjusting to the darkness that he could see the rhythmic movement of her hand, that he could see his own disappearing inside of her shorts. He was already close. Lifting his face once more, he kissed her.

"S-Stop," he groaned against her lips, "I'm going to…"

The second the word left his lips, the hand gripping his back disappeared, blindly reaching out to her bedside table and grabbing a sheet out of a box of makeup wipes. It was only when he realised what she was doing that Sasuke's free hand tugged his underwear down over his hips, making sure they were out of the way.

He was stunned, however, when Sakura lifted her shirt up to her breasts and also pulled her shorts down as much as she possibly could in their current position.

"You–"

"It's fine," she breathed, head tilting back and eyes shutting in pleasure at his ministrations. The makeup wipes weren't sensitive and she would rather he released himself onto her stomach than caused himself any kind of pain. "Just… Just clean up… after."

He nearly lost it there and then.

His lips immediately crushed against hers, kissing Sakura almost desperately and with such an intensity that it had her shivering against him, had her hips bucking out of time. And his thumb was quick to fumble around, searching for the button that would have her writhing and Sasuke could tell when he found it, because Sakura suddenly broke away from the kiss, a broken moan leaving her lips and her hold tightening on him, the reaction enough to make his breathing stop as orgasm took him without another warning.

She helped him ride it out and as she did, Sasuke did his best to continue with returning the favour, holding off on collapsing so that he made sure she also reached orgasm.

It only took a minute.

Breathing heavily, he grabbed the makeup wipe in her hand and wiped her stomach clean, tossing the soiled wipe into the bin once he had. It took a few moments until he found the strength to lazily pull his underwear back up and seeing that Sakura had no strength at all left in her, he fixed her clothing, too, collapsing on top of her as soon as he was done.

It made him smile into her chest when Sakura kissed the top of his head sweetly.

"We should do that more often."

Sasuke chuckled and looked up at her, smirking at the tired look in her eyes. "You kept saying it would be improper."

She rolled her eyes in response, though couldn't stop the smile on her lips. "Who cares what anyone else thinks?"

He kissed her softly and chastely, enjoying how she immediately responded to his kiss.

When they pulled away, she was panting again. "Damn… We missed the movie."

He didn't even look at the television as Sasuke moved from on top of her, laying on his side and bringing her body closer to his. There was some kind of animated programme on now, one with a talking dog, a talking baby and a huge man as the father. He'd heard about the show from Naruto, but at that moment, he couldn't recall the name. The voices annoyed him but Sasuke couldn't find the energy to reach for the remote and it seemed Sakura felt the same as she allowed him to roll her over so that he could spoon her.

"Goodnight, Sasuke," she whispered, holding onto the arms wrapped around her waist.

It made her smile when he kissed the back of her head. "Goodnight, Sakura."

* * *

Saying goodbye to not only Sasuke, but also to her mother, had been so hard and for the first hour of the flight, she had kept her head turned in the direction of the window, trying her best to stop the tears. The old woman sat by her side had repeatedly asked her if she was okay and whether or not she needed a cuddle. It had made Sakura smile and feel incredibly grateful that she had that woman sitting beside her and not some grumpy old fart or bratty kid.

She and Sasuke had said their goodbyes the night before, when they had been holding each other. Even after saying goodnight it had taken a few hours for them to actually fall asleep and in the end, they had stayed up most of the night, talking – going into the early hours of the morning, in fact.

The journey wasn't so bad, just a little nerve-racking considering the fact that Sakura had never travelled alone before. Altogether, the flight was around fourteen hours and departure had been somewhere around eleven in the evening, so she would be due in Suna about mid-morning. Konoha was behind Suna by a few hours, she was sure of it. Or were they ahead? Damn it. She should have checked it out properly.

Oh wait, no. No, Konoha _was_ behind Suna. Sakura could remember the difficulty with trying to get in touch with Gaara, so she knew that Konoha was definitely behind them.

Gaara.

Sakura sighed as she finally made it through security, smiling gratefully when they pointed her in the direction her luggage would be in.

Many months had gone by and not once had she heard anything from Gaara. No emails, no instant messages, no phone calls or texts… Nothing. Sasuke had managed to find her his address however, so she was hoping to go to his home before she started at the hospital. That way she could speak to him in person and try to fix their friendship.

It was easy spotting her suitcases and Sakura was grateful that they were together and hadn't been separated, as it meant much less time standing around. Already she was getting incredibly warm and she was glad to have worn something that wouldn't make her overheat. Or, more grossly, show if she was sweating or not.

Once Sakura had all three suitcases (wondering just how the hell she was going to get them to a cab), she heard somebody calling her name and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

"Sakura."

She whirled around, eyes going wide at the sight before her until she shot forward and ran straight into the person who had called her name, smiling brightly and forcing back her tears. Her smile only grew when her embrace was returned, feet coming off the ground for a few moments.

"Gaara!" Sakura breathed, pulling back slightly so she could look at him. He hadn't changed at all! "How did you know I was landing today? And I thought you weren't…" She grimaced, looking down at the ground. "I thought you weren't my friend anymore? We haven't spoken in months."

In response, Gaara sighed and yanked her forward once more. "I could never hate you, Sakura. You just make bad choices that I don't agree with and sometimes, it is best to let things cool off. You know better than anyone that I often say things I don't mean when I get angry." She nodded, closing her eyes and dropping her forehead to his shoulder. "As for your question… Uchiha contacted me. He told me about what happened in the elevator, Sakura. I'm sorry for upsetting you the way I did."

"Don't be," Sakura whispered, making a mental note to thank Sasuke properly when she returned. "I'm just so glad that you don't hate me."

He rolled his eyes and finally released her, feeling uncomfortable with so many people walking by and watching them. "Come, Sakura."

Nodding, she looped her arm through his, grinning when he glanced down at her. "My hotel is–"

"You're not staying in a hotel." Gaara rolled his eyes once more and grabbed two of her suitcases, walking her in the direction of the exit. "You can stay with me."

"Are you–"

"Don't argue."

She grinned up at him and grabbed the final suitcase, unable to wipe the smile from her face. Who knew that Sasuke could do such a nice thing? Yes, the past several months had been nice, but this… This was something that truly meant a lot to her. Sakura bit her lip to hide her smile as they entered the blistering heat of the desert, no longer being shaded by the airport.

He really was proving her wrong and for the first time ever, Sakura was enjoying being wrong.


	16. Heart To Heart

**Chapter 16 – Heart To Heart**

It was so hot!

Sighing, Sakura fanned herself with a leaflet she had found on Gaara's coffee table, trying her best to cool down. She'd only been in the desert for a few hours and already the heat was getting to her. Suna was beautiful, there was no denying that, but Sakura knew she wouldn't be able to go outside much without bathing in the highest factor sun lotion first. Apparently the temperature dropped to freezing at night, too. She couldn't wait for night to come.

"So, Sasuke really contacted you?"

Gaara smirked at her red and sweaty face. "Twice, actually."

If she hadn't been scared to stop fanning herself, Sakura would have frozen with shock. "Really?"

He nodded and stood up, walking over to the air conditioning settings and turning it up for her. As amusing as it was to watch her melt, he couldn't let his friend suffer like she seemed to be at the moment. "The first time was just after what happened in the elevator," Gaara told her and sat back down. "The second time was last night to tell me you would be coming to Suna today."

Thankful for the breeze that was suddenly blowing down on her, Sakura placed the leaflet down onto the table and smiled softly, her heart melting. Sasuke had really done this for her? "What did he say to you?"

"That if I no longer wanted to be friends with you, then I should tell you to your face."

Sakura froze and wide green eyes clashed with icy blue. "…What?"

He rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't abandon one of my friends, Sakura. It's like I said earlier: you make choices I don't agree with, just like you don't agree with some of my own choices."

Good. She was glad that they were still friends because Gaara meant a lot to her. He was one of her best friends. If there was ever anything she needed, if she ever needed comforting or for somebody to fight her battles and protect her, then Gaara was there. The same went for him – she would always be there for Gaara.

Of course, they'd argued in the past. Like Gaara had said: they made choices the other didn't always agree with. For example, her relationship with Uchiha Sasuke. She knew that Gaara didn't agree with it and his silence over the past several months only solidified those assumptions. When they disagreed on something, they _always_ argued about it. This was the longest they'd gone without making up, though. Living so far away from each other made it difficult.

"I really missed you." She smiled sadly. "Oh and Naruto told me that you'd better come and visit him soon."

He smirked. "I will."

Sighing, Sakura stood up and stretched, trying her best to ignore the cracks she heard and the stiffness of her muscles. The journey to Suna was so long. "You don't mind if I take a shower, do you? I'm all sweaty and it feels horrible."

Gaara also stood up and gestured for her to follow him up the stairs, where he then pointed at a door. Earlier, when they had first arrived at the house, he'd taken her straight to the guest bedroom and put her suitcases down for her. Fortunately for her, the bathroom was just across from her room.

"There should be clean towels and anything else you will need in there," he murmured, pushing open the door for her. "Temari and Kankuro won't be home until later tonight or early tomorrow morning, so you can have as much privacy as you want to get cleaned up and unpack."

She nodded. "What are you going to do?"

There was a pause as Gaara seemed to think about it. "We need more food since Kankuro cleared out the refrigerator this morning. I should be back in an hour."

Again, Sakura nodded and gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks for letting me stay with you, Gaara."

He merely shrugged. "We're friends."

* * *

Her shower had been so refreshing and was enough to cool her off for a while. Just in case there was a limit to how much water people could use in the desert, however, she kept it as short as possible, quickly yet thoroughly washing herself before getting out.

And now there she sat in her room, unpacking and hanging her clothes up into the otherwise empty wardrobe. The room was plain and nothing like her room back at home, but it would do for the next three months. What made it better was that she would be staying with her friend, one she was completely comfortable with. That was so much better than staying in some foreign hotel where people could be sneaking into her room while she wasn't there and stealing her things. Or worse, sneaking in while she was in there, but unaware of their presence.

Shuddering at her overactive imagination, Sakura placed a set of pyjamas onto the bed, waiting until she had dried off before putting them on. At that moment in time, she was still wrapped up in a towel with another one around her head, although she soon removed that when she began to get too warm again. The air-con helped a lot, but Sakura knew that it would make Gaara cold after a while. He was used to the heat, after all.

Once her clothes were sorted out and either hung up in the wardrobe or folded neatly into the dresser, Sakura put her shoes at the bottom of the wardrobe and her toiletries and makeup on top of dresser, soon followed by her hair accessories and styling kit. All that was left was her bag, which she soon grabbed and placed onto the bed, unzipping it easily.

It was a big bag to say the least, big enough to hold her laptop as well as accessories for it, along with books, her phone and an emergency toiletries bag. There was no telling what would happen during the flight.

What time was it now? Looking over at the clock, Sakura decided it was time to get dressed. It didn't sound like Gaara had returned yet, but just in case he had and was waiting for her to come downstairs, she thought it would be best to hurry up.

And by the time she was dressed, Sakura heard the front door opening and closing only a minute later and at the sound of rustling bags, she put her slippers on and made her way downstairs to help with putting the shopping away.

"Do you want any help?"

Gaara looked over his shoulder at her as he put the shopping bags onto the counter and nodded once. "Did you manage to find everything you need?"

She nodded with a smile, emptying a bag. "Yeah. I unpacked as well while you were gone."

"All three suitcases?"

There was a teasing smirk on his lips, one that had her rolling her eyes. "And my bag."

He chuckled and pointed over to a certain cupboard when Sakura asked where the rice and pasta went. They unpacked the shopping in silence after that, but it wasn't uncomfortable and as soon as it was done, Gaara made them both some sandwiches, leading the way into the living room once they were made. Sakura followed with tall glasses of cold drinks. Thankfully, he let her sit under the air-con because already Sakura could feel the heat creeping up on her again, although it definitely wasn't as bad as it had been before her shower. As they were getting on in the afternoon now, the temperature was slowly decreasing, much to her relief.

"When do you start at the hospital?"

"Not for another few days. I was told to get used to Suna first before starting there."

He nodded. That was a good idea. If Sakura was to start working there tomorrow, she would find it unbearable. She thought it was hot now? She should try being outside for a good half an hour (walking there and then another half an hour walking back) as well as being on her feet in a busy hospital all day.

"Make sure to keep a bottle of water on you," Gaara advised her. "You're not used to the heat and you'll need to keep hydrated. There will be coolers in the hospital, too."

After taking a bite of her sandwich, she gave him a small smile. Honestly, Sakura had no appetite and she wasn't hungry in the slightest, but it would be important to keep her strength up and to keep herself at top health. Any less would be dangerous in the desert.

"Do you miss Konoha?"

"Yes."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, quite surprised by his honesty. "Really? Why? I thought you missed the heat?"

It was only after finishing one of his sandwiches that Gaara answered her, sighing as he did so, "People avoid me here."

She frowned, folding a leg beneath herself and leaning back against the arm of the sofa. "You told me about some girl, though. One who followed you around."

"Yes and you will see her at some point." Icy blue eyes rolled at the thought of her. He could already see an argument breaking out between Matsuri and Sakura, because the former was the kind of girl Sakura just could not stand. "But other than Matsuri, Temari and Kankuro, I don't speak to anyone."

Her frown deepened and Sakura dropped the sandwich in her hand onto the plate they were sharing, looking genuinely upset. "Why?" He shrugged. "Gaara… There has to be a reason."

"Was there a reason why you were bullied?" he retorted. "Was there a reason why Uchiha told you to fuck off? Or why Yamanaka ditched you?"

"That's different."

"How?"

"It just… is."

He simply shook his head. "You're smart, Sakura. You know deep down that there isn't a difference. Those things happened to you because one day, Uchiha decided you weren't good enough for him, that he didn't like who you were as a person and because of that, everyone else avoided you. It was more or less the same thing for me in both high schools I attended."

Used to Gaara's rants and his blunt way of speaking, Sakura knew to listen without interrupting. Their conversation was long overdue in her opinion and what was being said, needed to be said. He was always the one who made her see sense. Like she just had, Gaara would listen patiently and let her say her piece before then breaking everything apart and making her understand why it was wrong.

"They don't like you because of who you are."

A single nod was all he replied with.

Once again, Sakura sighed and ran a hand through her damp hair. It was because of the heat that she hadn't used her hair dryer. "Have you tried getting a job? You could make friends there." The look he gave her was blank. "Okay… What about college? You could always go somewhere other than the college here in Suna."

There was a small smile on his lips. "That is what I'm hoping for. It takes a while for mail to get here and I have yet to hear back from a few colleges. For now I am leaving my options open."

"It's really that bad here?"

Gaara sighed. "It could be different for you. But for me: yes. It _is_ that bad. I don't connect with anyone like I did in Konoha. I don't get on with anyone. Being here… Both Temari and Kankuro have told me that it's not good for me."

Mentally, Sakura silently added. She knew what they meant and could see the differences in Gaara now that she was _truly_ looking at him. When he picked her up at the airport, it hadn't really clicked in her mind because Sakura had known he would change a little, but the changes hadn't been extreme so she hadn't taken much notice. Now, however, they were very obvious to her. Despite the glaring sun, Gaara was paler than usual and the dark circles around his eyes were much darker.

He really wasn't happy in Suna and it broke her heart, because he'd been stuck in this place for years now. How had that affected him? Gaara had always had a bad temper and when angered, he was violent. Had Suna made that worse? So far, he seemed calm, but it was only a matter of time before his anger showed. It could rival her own anger, in a way.

That was one of the reasons why it never worked out between them. As friends, they could handle each other's anger because there weren't any expectations or whatever. As more than friends, though… Well, they clashed too much. They found too much to argue about, to the point where they were unhappy in the short relationship. It would have damaged their friendship if they stayed in it.

It wasn't that she didn't care for Gaara, because she did. She cared for him a lot and he was her best friend. The feelings didn't go any deeper than friendship, though. An example of it could be the fact that when they were together, they had kissed. She didn't feel anything like what she had with Sasuke. With Sasuke, Sakura got lost in the moment and they could be kissing for hours, when it only felt like minutes. There was a sharp, burning heat between her and Sasuke. It was a feeling that scalded her and excited her. He could make her stomach flip with anticipation and nervousness with a single look. As bad as it sounded, with Gaara, nothing like that happened to her. Their relationship, their friendship, was comfortable and that was all.

In a romantic relationship, Sakura believed that there needed to be excitement. Not constantly, but most of the time. She enjoyed spending time with Gaara and she loved that she could open up to him without hesitation, but… Her feelings for Sasuke and Gaara were so very different. Just like _they_ were so very different.

In her mind, there was no comparing to Uchiha Sasuke.

"Maybe you should come to Konoha for a while?" Sakura asked softly with a small smile. "You know my mom always had a soft spot for you."

He smirked. "Only because she knows I keep you out of trouble."

"_Out_ of trouble?" she repeated with her own smirk. "I'm sorry, I think you're forgetting about that time in the park where you started fighting a group of guys."

His smirk widened. "They looked at us like we were freaks."

"We _were_ freaks!"

At her laugh, he chuckled. "Yes, but that didn't give them the right to treat us that way."

This was what she meant. With Gaara, she could be herself and relax. She could make some of the most unladylike noises and he wouldn't even bat an eyelash. One time Sakura had even had him coming into the bathroom while she was on the toilet to pass her more toilet paper and her sanitary towels. Like she kept saying: he was her best friend.

He'd seen her at her best and at her worst, just like Sakura had seen Gaara at his best and at his worst. That was where they'd slipped up. They tried to make more out of their friendship by pushing the boundaries and limits and in the end, they knew they had to get out before they ruined their friendship. The romantic relationship between them had felt forced. Sure, Gaara was a good kisser and she liked his hugs, but he didn't make her feel the way Sasuke did.

"You're so lucky I got involved," replied Sakura as she sat back on the sofa and picked up another sandwich. "You would have gotten your ass kicked otherwise."

"I doubt that."

"Oh?" She smirked around her sandwich, eyeing him with a challenging look. "Are you sure about that? If I'm remembering correctly – and I have a _great_ memory – then I jumped in just as they had you on the ground."

His eyes narrowed with his own challenging look. "I still took on more of them than you did."

"True, but I inflicted the most damage."

"Are you sure? I could have sworn that one of the guys I took on had a broken wrist once I was done with him."

"That is because you're a sadist."

They couldn't help but laugh at their banter and the warm, light conversation continued until it got later into the night. Once the temperature began to drop, Gaara switched the air-con off. Goosebumps had been breaking out all over Sakura's skin and she had even grabbed the throw off of the sofa to wrap around herself.

It was when he sat back down that Gaara started the conversation she'd been waiting for. "Why did you give him a second chance?"

"I…"

When she trailed off, unable to find words, his brows mashed together. "I can still remember finding you hiding under the stairs, crying to yourself and I can remember how badly you were bullied. Why would you risk that happening again?"

He had always looked out for her since they became friends. Many had pegged him as a bad guy, as somebody who didn't give two fucks about anybody else. His only friends had been Rock Lee and Uzumaki Naruto. Also, because Sasuke hated Gaara, Sakura had decided that she did, too, just to stay in the Uchiha's good books.

However… Despite what people said about him, he had stopped on his way to class and sat by her side, waiting for Sakura to calm down before he asked her what had happened. Gaara kept telling her that the only reason he had stopped was because she was important to Naruto, but there had definitely been something more in his expression. He genuinely cared about other people. Seeing her (or anyone else) in pain was something he despised.

"He's changed, Gaara." When he pulled a face, she leaned forward, catching his eyes with the sincerity in hers. "Seriously. He's changed. Sasuke… So far in our relationship, he's done everything he can to make me happy. When his fan-girls ambushed me, he was there. He's taken me on beautiful dates and to meet his family. He bought me this." She showed Gaara her necklace. "And he just… listens to me when I need somebody to talk to." Smiling, she added, "It's not like in the past. When we were younger, I was scared to be myself around him. I always wore makeup and made sure my hair was perfect, that my skirt was short and my bras _always_ had to be the ones that push my breasts up."

"And now?"

"Now…" The smile on her face widened. "Sasuke always tells me to be myself. This morning, I looked _awful_. My hair was sticking up in so many different directions and I had a huge spot on my chin _as well as_ morning breath." She blushed. "He still told me I looked beautiful."

He watched her for a while, watched her emotions. It had been quite a long time since he'd last seen that happiness in her eyes. There were things going on with Sakura that even he didn't know about, things that weighed her down but because she was such a good friend, because she cared so much for others, she hadn't wanted her problems to weigh anybody else down, no matter how many times they told her to just share. Those things had stopped her from feeling happy but somehow, Uchiha Sasuke had managed to bring her happiness again. Not just the superficial kind of happiness, but the genuine kind. He hadn't seen Sakura so happy in a long time.

In a way, Gaara was almost jealous.

He wanted that happiness too. She looked so free.

"He hasn't hurt you?"

"Not physically, not emotionally and not psychologically," replied Sakura with a warm smile. "Everything Sasuke does, he does to make me happy. He contacted you for me. Sasuke knows how much you mean to me, Gaara. Even though you don't like each other, he still contacted you for me. _Twice_!"

That was true, he supposed. Part of him felt so very happy for his friend and wanted nothing but the best for her, but… Gaara could remember exactly what Uchiha Sasuke was like, even if it was years ago. What if he hurt her again? He wouldn't be there to put her back together again if there was a next time.

"It's been five months–"

"Seven months," she corrected quietly.

"And he still puts you first? Still does everything he can to make sure you're happy?"

Sakura nodded, giving him a smile. "He does. Honestly, Gaara. You should come back to Konoha even if it's only for a week or so. You can see for yourself that he's changed."

Going back to Konoha sounded like a very tempting thought, although he couldn't say the same about meeting Uchiha Sasuke again. They had never seen eye to eye and would rather rip chunks out of each other than talk. However, it seemed they had something in common now – or something to stop that urge to beat the shit out of each other. Sakura. If anybody could stop a fight or put people such as himself and Sasuke in their places, then it would be her. She was the toughest girl he had ever met.

"You should try and get some sleep," Gaara told her with a small smile. "You look exhausted."

"I am." She grinned tiredly and rubbed her eyes. "But we haven't seen each other in years and–"

"You're going to be here for three months. We can catch up in the morning while I'm showing you around Suna." At her wide eyes, at the mixture of excitement and dread, he smirked. "You'd better get some rest if you're going to be outside tomorrow."

The look Sakura gave him could only be described as unimpressed as she stood up and stretched, walking around the sofa. To get him back for his teasing smirk, she ruffled his already messy hair, grinning when he muttered under his breath and swatted her hand away.

"Night, Gaara."

"Goodnight."

Entering her room and shutting the door behind her, Sakura walked over to the window and watched the darkness outside for a moment before closing the curtains. They were thick, heavy curtains, ones made to keep out the natural light – which she was grateful for. Sakura planned on having a long lie in tomorrow morning. Sighing, she fell backwards onto the bed, groaning when she fell onto her books. Apparently she had forgotten to put the items from her large bag away and at the sight of her laptop, she bit her lip.

Perhaps she should video chat Sasuke before bed and then thank him again when she returned? There wasn't too much of a time difference. If anything, Konoha should be behind them, so it would be fine.

Nodding to herself and switching her laptop on, Sakura stood up and put her books on the dresser beside her makeup, though left one of them on the bed so that she could read before going to sleep. It always helped her unwind after a long day and calmed her mind, making it so much easier for her to fall asleep.

Pushing a strand of hair behind her ear and grimacing at the fact it was still damp, she signed into the instant messenger, watching the online contacts for a few minutes before she was sending a single text to Sasuke, telling him to sign on. It would cost too much to constantly text or call him and they had reluctantly accepted that, but fortunately because of Gaara's generous offer, she now had an internet connection (which he had given her the password to earlier for her phone).

It was only a minute later when she got a notification at the bottom of her screen.

_**Avenger–S has signed in**_**.**

Sakura grinned to herself and immediately video called him, unable to hide her smile when it instantly connected.

It was obvious Sasuke had just come from the shower, as his usual spikes were more or less flat, making him look so much more like his brother. Also, it appeared as though Sasuke was shirtless. Something fluttered in her stomach.

"_I thought you would have no internet connection_?" Sasuke drawled, biting back a smirk.

"Thank you, Sasuke," Sakura told him softly, genuinely. "Thank you for getting in touch with Gaara and just… Thanks for all of this."

He smirked this time, unable to hide it. "_What time is it over there_?"

Glancing at the alarm clock on the bedside table, Sakura murmured, "Just gone eight o'clock. Gaara thought it would be best that I got an early night since I'm a little jet lagged and I wanted to speak with you before I went to sleep."

There was a pause in his movements of drying his hair with the towel and after a moment, Sasuke glanced at her face on his laptop, eyebrows knitting together. "_You're staying at Sabaku's place? Is there only the two of you there?_"

She rolled her eyes. "We're friends, Sasuke. I know you heard the rumour of Gaara and I being together – not really a rumour, since it was true – but it didn't work out. We're better off as friends and we both agreed to it. Please trust me." After a moment, Sakura sighed. "And yes, for tonight, there's only the two of us here but his siblings will be home either later tonight or tomorrow morning."

Like she had, Sakura heard Sasuke sigh and he dropped the towel. "_It's not that I don't trust you, Sakura. You know how possessive I can be._"

"I know." She smiled at him. "But I promise that you have nothing to worry about. We were just talking about you, actually. I think Gaara's starting to understand that I really like you and that you've really changed since we were younger."

This seemed to surprise him as he raised an eyebrow to her. "_He accepts our relationship?_"

"I wouldn't go that far just yet, but I hope he does. He's one of my best friends and I don't want to lose him because of our relationship. But I also don't want to lose you because of my friendship with Gaara."

He smiled at her. "_You won't lose me._"

She returned his smile and butterflies filled her stomach. "Good. You won't lose me either."

"_Good_."

"Anyway." Sakura yawned and covered her mouth, though soon wiped her eyes when they watered because of her yawn. "I'm really tired. I just called to say thank you for contacting Gaara for me. I'll thank you properly when I'm home."

Unsurprisingly, he smirked at her. It was such a sinful smirk that it had her feeling so very warm on the inside and her heart began to pound. "_I'm looking forward to it._"

"Pervert." She laughed. "Goodnight, Sasuke."

His eyes warmed. "Goodnight, Sakura."

Logging off, she shut down her laptop and placed it down onto the stool in front of the dresser and as soon as Sakura switched out the lights and climbed into bed, she was asleep.

* * *

"You're finally awake, then."

Sakura yawned and fell onto the sofa, leaning heavily against the arm of it. "How long was I asleep for?"

"You've been upstairs for fifteen hours, although I don't know if you've been asleep for that long."

Damn… "Most of it, yeah." She rubbed her face tiredly, like she was trying to wipe away the exhaustion that was still weighing her down. It was ridiculous, in her mind, that even after fifteen hours of sleep she was still so tired. "Are Temari and Kankuro home yet?"

He nodded. "You just missed Temari. She's gone to work. Kankuro is still asleep and probably won't be up until later this afternoon." When Sakura raised a curious eyebrow, Gaara rolled his eyes. "He was out drinking last night and didn't come home until gone five in the morning."

Her shock was obvious. "You were still awake?" He nodded. "I thought you looked more tired than usual yesterday. Why haven't you been sleeping?" There was no answer, prompting Sakura to lean forward ever so slightly, her eyebrows knitting together and features showing her concern. "Is it something to do with your depression?"

The look in his eyes as they locked with hers was guarded, heavily guarded, but as Sakura kept eye contact and refused to be intimidated, refused to stand down, slowly, ever so slowly, those guards slipped away. "Apparently so."

"Did you speak with a doctor?" He nodded. "What did they say?"

"I was given antidepressants."

"And?"

"That is all."

Sakura frowned. Back in Konoha, if somebody was diagnosed with depression then they would be offered counselling, or possibly even group therapies. In fact it was encouraged instead of immediately putting somebody on antidepressants. She understood that Gaara wasn't the most emotionally open person out there and it took a while to wear him down, but… He was no different from anyone else.

It was with a sigh that she stood up and smiled down at him. "I suppose we both have things we need taken off our mind. Let me get dressed and then you can show me around."

There was only a brief pause until Gaara nodded once with a small smile, grateful that she didn't nag.

* * *

"You must be Haruno Sakura."

The hand that reached out for hers was old, wrinkly and covered in age-spots, but Sakura was quick to accept it and shake the hand firmly. "Yes."

The woman who was speaking with her was old with thinning grey hair and dark eyes. Those eyes were harsh, distant, yet at the same time they gave Sakura a strange sense of warmth. She hoped she would be sticking around the woman.

"Here, they all call me 'Chiyo-baasama'," she chuckled and released Sakura's hand. "So I expect you to do the same."

Sakura nodded once, smiling. "Yes, Chiyo-baasama!"

"I have heard many great things about you from your sensei. Iruka, I believe his name to be?" When Sakura nodded again, Chiyo gestured for the girl to follow her into the hospital. "Do not let those people down, Sakura."

"I have no intention of doing that."

She nodded, seeming pleased to hear the words. "For the duration of your stay here in Suna, you will be shadowing me. Just because I am the head of the hospital, it does not mean that I don't see my fair share of the gore."

The head of the hospital? She was shadowing the _head of the freaking hospital_? Sakura tried her best to suppress the grin threatening to split her face in half and thankfully, only a smile showed itself. "I would be honoured to shadow you."

"Normally, others don't receive these kinds of offers," stated Chiyo as she guided the way to an elevator and once they were in it, she pressed the top floor button. "Only those who have proved themselves are offered a position such as this. They need to have great potential. And when your sensei sent me your file, I knew I would be a fool not to give you such a position."

Sakura bit her lip. It would do no good to let Chiyo's compliments go to her head. "And I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity."

The old woman smiled and as soon as the doors swung open, revealing a calm corridor, she began walking once more at a slow pace, leading the way to her office. It was equally as calm and silent as the corridor, so much so that it almost caused Sakura to pause. In Konoha, their hospital was chaotic. There were people on every corridor and every ward. Doctors, nurses, patients and visitors. It had only just occurred to her that it was the exact opposite in Suna's hospital.

"Why is it so quiet?" she couldn't help but ask, looking around with wide eyes as they entered Chiyo's office.

Like everywhere else in the hospital, it was basic and plain with nothing more than what was needed. In the corner of the room, hiding in the shade, was a water cooler with a tall stack of cups leaning against it.

"Completely different to Konoha, right?"

"…Just a little."

Chiyo gestured to the chair facing her desk as she sat down, silently telling Sakura to do the same. "Out here in the desert, you have to be tough to survive. You have to have your wits about you. One wrong move and you could die," she told the young girl simply. "It is because of these things that people know not to wander or break any of the rules. In my hospital, we have order and there are a set of rules that everyone must abide by."

Seeing that Sakura was listening intently, she continued, "No visitor is to get further than reception without a pass. These passes change with every visiting hour. Sometimes they're a specific colour and other times, they have a unique code on them. If you are found wandering around with the wrong pass, you will be arrested." Giving her a moment to absorb the news, Chiyo then added, "Another rule is that patients must never leave their wards without a nurse or doctor with them."

Sakura frowned at this. "Not including the pass scheme, that's the same as in Konoha, isn't it? Why is it so effective here?"

Her question seemed to please Chiyo for some reason because she leaned forward ever so slightly, making sure to keep eye contact and there was a small, proud smile on her lips. "That is a very good question. Despite your intelligence, I'm certain you don't watch the news much."

She grimaced. "Studying all the time keeps me locked away in my room. Even if it didn't, I prefer to be ignorant to all the suffering in the world."

"Which is fine," Chiyo assured her when she saw the uncomfortable look in her eyes. "That is your opinion. However, if you had watched the news, you'd know that there has been many attacks lately."

"Attacks?"

"Not actual attacks. More like kidnappings. Many times now an intruder has entered the hospital with the intention of kidnapping the children. This is partly why we have moved the children's ward up a few floors and brought down the crazies."

It took a lot to hold back her frown. Nobody had said anything to her about kidnappings. "The crazies?"

"That is another rule. Do not enter the ward on the third floor."

This time, Sakura's frown was obvious. She was hoping with all of her heart that Chiyo hadn't just labelled mentally unstable patients as 'the crazies'. It was hardly respectful towards them, was it? Not to mention it wasn't their fault. Those who were mentally unstable didn't ask to be that way. In a way, it reminded Sakura of her anger. She didn't ask to feel that way, did she? No. But it didn't change the fact it was always there, burning away in her gut.

Apparently, Chiyo caught onto her thoughts because she cackled. "Don't worry about it, Sakura. That's what they call themselves. I've been working here for well over forty years now and even though patients have come and gone, they still stick to that name."

They did? But why? Knowing that Chiyo wouldn't personally be able to answer such a question, she nodded once. "I'm sorry. I thought you were…"

"It's fine, it's fine," she told her with a laugh, waving her hand. "I would have thought the same if our positions were reversed." Then, she grew serious. "Do you understand about entering the third floor?" Sakura nodded seriously. "Good. Not only could it put you at risk, but also the other patients should they get out of that ward."

Again, Sakura nodded.

"Tell me," Chiyo wondered, her smile slipping away ever so slightly, "how do you feel about Suna so far?"

It was rather unnerving how serious Chiyo seemed to be. "Um…" Sakura smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of her head. "It's going to take some getting used to," she replied honestly after a brief pause. "Everything here is so different."

Already knowing this since she had travelled to Konoha before, Chiyo sat back in her seat. "Remember to always keep your canteen filled with water and try not to stay in the sun for prolonged periods of time. You'll find several of these coolers-" She indicated to the water cooler in the corner of her room, "-around the hospital."

Sakura nodded understandingly. It was pretty much exactly what Gaara had told her, minus the part about water coolers. Or had he mentioned them? She tried to remember, but Chiyo was speaking again before she had the chance to.

"I want to warn you now that this will be no easy task." Once more, Chiyo's voice and expression were both serious. "You will be working weekdays from nine in the morning, until four in the afternoon with only two breaks and a lunch. You may leave the hospital during those breaks to do whatever it is you kids are doing nowadays, but you must make sure that you return before your break ends." Again, when Sakura nodded in understanding, she continued, "You will be treated as the other members of staff are treated and that includes our three strike system."

"Three strikes?" Sakura frowned.

"Yes. If you receive three strikes, you will lose your place here and will be sent back to Konoha."

She refused to show her worry, because Sakura was determined not to earn even one strike. No, she would complete the summer without earning herself a single strike. "What gives you a strike?"

"The things I have already mentioned, for starters. Along with this, here at the hospital, we will not tolerant any form of bullying towards our patients _or_ our staff. Any inappropriate behaviour of any kind will result in a strike. Being late will earn you a strike. Being untidy and a reliability will also give you a strike."

As Chiyo continued to list off the many,_ many_ rules, Sakura felt both dread rising within her and a strong determination.

Like hell she would be sent back home!

* * *

"I don't know…"

There was a low chuckle on the other end of the phone, making a shiver run up her spine. "_Are you alone_?"

Her instincts were telling her all kinds of things. Hang up the phone. Lie and say no, she wasn't alone. Tell him yes, she was alone and yes, she really wanted to do what he was suggesting. What was she supposed to do?

"_Sakura…_"

Memories flashed to the front of her mind, reminding Sakura of the night she and Sasuke had shared just before she left for Suna. It reminded her of the feeling of him being on top of her, of his eager hands exploring her body, whispering and moaning into her neck and ear when she brought him to orgasm.

"Yes," she whispered before clearing her throat, demanding herself to speak louder. "Gaara and his siblings are out for a short while." A pause. "What are you doing?"

Another chuckle, this one sounding breathy. "_Do you really want to know_?"

Her heart was pounding away in her chest and the rise in temperature had nothing to do with the fact she was in the desert. "Yeah."

"_I'm laying in bed, imagining that you're next to me._"

Ever so slightly, Sakura shifted in an attempt to get more comfortable. "What would we be doing?"

"_For somebody who didn't want to do this, you're very into it already._"

"I'm… curious," she murmured, glancing over at the window before she got up and shut the curtains, flopping down on her back onto the bed. "And it's not like I'm breathing heavily down the phone, asking what you're wearing or what colour your underwear are."

She could almost _hear_ Sasuke's smirk. "_I wouldn't be able to tell you a colour._"

"…What?" Sakura breathed into the phone, tensing. "You're… You're not wearing any underwear?"

"_Correction: I'm not wearing anything_."

Pulling the phone away from her ear, she breathed deeply, trying to calm herself and ignoring the sudden warmth that flooded her stomach. It was impossible.

"_You're remembering it, aren't you?"_

She brought the phone back to her ear, just about catching his words. "Remembering what?"

"_Our last night together. You're remembering what it was like to have me on top of you_."

Even though he couldn't see her, Sakura felt herself nodding.

"_I can't stop thinking about it,_" he muttered and at his next words, her eyes slipped shut. "_Just thinking about you makes me hard._"

"How…" Sakura swallowed hard, forcing herself to speak louder so that Sasuke would actually be able to hear her and as she spoke once more, she opened her eyes, staring up at the ceiling. "How long has it been? Time seems to go by so slowly here."

A pause. _"One month, two weeks and a day._"

Tears threatened to fill her eyes. It had been over a month since her night with Sasuke. Why did it feel like so much longer? It felt as though she had been away for years and not a single month. It felt like it had been decades since she last saw her mother, who regularly sent her a video chat request because of how much it cost to call somebody abroad. The only reason Sakura was on the phone now was because Sasuke had a sudden bonus feature in his contract. She was so glad that he did, because Sakura missed his voice terribly.

"I want to come home," she whimpered into the phone and covered her face with her free hand, catching the tears before they fell.

"_Don't you like it there?_"

"I do. I love it here. Working at the hospital is harsh, but it feels _amazing_ being able to help people. Chiyo-baasama is so kind to me – like a grandmother. Being here with Gaara, Temari and Kankuro is great, too. I just… I miss you all so much."

On the other end of the line, Sasuke sighed. "_I miss you, too_."

It was difficult trying to calm down, trying to stop the tears from falling. Today had been a stressful day due to not much sleep the night before. Kankuro had brought a girl back with him and had woken her up halfway through the night and since then, it had been close to impossible to get to sleep. Not only that, but in the morning Temari had been in a foul mood, snapping at Kankuro to keep his whores quiet, which resulted in an argument between Temari and Kankuro's girl of the night, one that had been escalating quickly into a full blown fight.

In the end, Gaara had to get involved as he had been able to see how stressed Sakura was getting and how close to snapping she was. It was in the tick of her eyebrow, in the shaking of her fists and the hardening of her eyes. That was partly why the three siblings had gone out for the evening – to give her some space. It was so wrong that they left their own home for her, but Sakura was grateful for it.

"How is everyone? My mom? Your mom? Naruto? Hinata? Itachi-san? Lee-san? Shis–"

"_Sakura, calm down._" Sasuke sighed again and she could hear him sitting up in his bed as the headboard creaked ever so slightly, like he was leaning back against it. "_You have worked so hard for this opportunity. Don't give up now because you miss us here in Konoha. You're just homesick._"

"It's not just homesickness," Sakura told him, just barely holding back a sob. "Suna is just… It's completely different from Konoha. I wake up in the morning pretty much drowning in my own sweat unless somebody is up before me and switches on the air conditioning. Or sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night, shivering and having to grab extra blankets because it gets _so cold_. They have weird food here. Gaara was eating _lizard_ the other day, Sasuke. _Lizard_! And they don't even have dango here and… and…"

"_And you are homesick._"

Realising that it was the truth, she released a deep breath, whispering, "Yeah."

"_It's understandable, Sakura. You've never been away from home for so long._"

"I feel so bad," she whispered into the phone. "They're all being so kind here and I feel so bad for being unhappy. I love them and I love working at the hospital, but…"

"_But it's not Konoha_."

Sakura took another deep breath, grateful that the tears were coming to a stop and the quivering of her bottom lip was no longer there. "I wish you were here with me."

"_If I could, I would get the next flight out there, but my father won't allow it._"

"How do you know?"

"_I already asked._"

His words had her heart warming and a gentle smile pulled at Sakura's lips, effectively pushing away the rest of her negative feelings. Only Sasuke was able to do that. With just a few words, he managed to calm her down, to make her anger fade away into nothing and he could bring a smile to her face so easily.

"Did he say why?"

"_Something to do with whatever is happening on the news. There's been a few attempted kidnappings, mostly children who belong to rich and powerful families, but there's also a few ordinary children who've been targeted."_

Sakura gasped and her eyes widened. "Chiyo–baasama said something to me about that on my first day."

There was the sound of him shifting, most likely getting more comfortable and it was like her body copied his, because Sakura also shifted. "_Yeah. Itachi and Shisui offered to accompany me, but he refuses to risk it. Too many people know who I am and who my father is. Allowing Itachi to go also would just add to the risk._"

"It's understandable. If it's that huge of a risk, even though I want nothing more than to have you next to me right now… I wouldn't want you to be in danger."

Yet again, there was another pause and when he spoke, there was definitely a hint of a smirk in Sasuke's voice, "_You want me next to you?_"

A breathy laugh escaped her before she could stop it. "Yeah."

"_And why is that_?"

She decided to be daring. "So we could repeat what happened on our last night together."

He sighed and at the sigh, Sakura lifted her legs, bending them at the knees. There was a difference between that sigh and the others she'd heard during their phone call. The one he'd just released sounded almost exactly like the one from _that _night, when she had been pleasuring him.

"_Would it be too much to say that I'm aching for you_?"

"No," Sakura murmured and unknowingly, her hand began stroking just above the waistband of her pyjama bottoms. "I'm aching for you, too."

"_What are you doing right now?_"

She closed her eyes, doing her best to imagine that Sasuke was right next to her instead of all the way in Konoha. Or, better yet, she tried to imagine that she was next to him and they were both in Konoha. "Stroking my stomach. You?"

"_Touching myself._"

Her eyes snapped open and a blush swept across her cheeks. "Y-You're…?"

"_Masturbating_?" There was definitely a smirk in his voice. "_Yes._"

Breathing became shallow and her hand shook as it slipped beneath her pyjama bottoms. Like the night they had spent together, she hadn't put any underwear on beneath her pyjamas, mostly because it was uncomfortable. And once Sakura reached her opening, she was surprised to find that she was already wet. It had never happened so quickly before, at least not when she was alone.

"_Tell me you're touching yourself like I am, Sakura,_" Sasuke's voice was low and throaty and his breathing was quicker than before. "_Tell me you're thinking about how it felt when I was the one touching you_."

She swallowed hard and after a moment of thinking about it, she pushed her finger inside of herself, releasing a shaky sigh. "I'm… I'm imaging that it's you who's touching me instead of it being my own hand."

His breathing hitched, much like hers suddenly did at his next words, "_I want to be inside you, Sakura._"

Oh Gods, did he have to say her name like that? Like it was the most sensual word in existence? It was making her heart pound harder than it had before and by the smallest amount, her thighs quivered. "I want that, too."

"_If I were with you now, I would have the both of us naked and I would pin you against the bed._"

The pace of her finger increased. "Sasuke…"

There was a low grunt on the other line. "_Do that again_."

"Do what?" she breathed, eyes slipping shut once more.

"_Moan my name._"

"Sasuke…" she did as he asked, moaning his name for him despite feeling a little silly doing so. It was coming naturally to her because she was pleasuring herself, so Sakura refused to focus on the fact another could hear her. "Sasuke!"

A groan. "_As soon as you're home, I'm locking you in my bedroom and I'm going to make love to you over and over again_."

Make love. Not fucking, but making love. Another moan tore from her, this one breaking off at the end. "Y-You can't have people… over–"

"_Fuck my father's rules,_" he muttered, his voice sounding strained and very quietly, Sakura could hear the sound that the movements of his hand created. "_I need to be inside you, Sakura. I want to push myself up against you and make you moan louder than you just did. I want to feel your body against mine, moving with mine. I want you underneath me. I–_"

When his voice broke off and he grunted again, Sakura decided to add some of her own wants. So far, it was only Sasuke who was saying the dirty stuff and she thought it was about time to say something too, "I want you to pin me down and prove that you're the only one who can dominate me."

Having Sasuke dominating her was something Sakura secretly thought about constantly. Every day, at least a few times, something would flash through her mind. A scene, in some ways, yet it was in a way that made it seem like a memory. She would imagine him pushing her face down into his pillows, with his hips slamming against hers and–

Her moan went up an octave.

"_You're close,_" Sasuke breathed.

She nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see her. It felt like he was right next to her! "Yes."

"_Only I can dominate you, Sakura,_" she heard him growl and at his possessiveness, another finger joined her first. "_Nobody is to touch you the way I do and when you're back home, I'm going to do more than just touch you with my fingers. I'll use my tongue. My cock._"

Another moan and she threw her head back. "I… I want to taste you."

His breathing hitched once again. "_Fuck… Only you have this effect on me._"

Her eyes opened slowly, weakly as she felt the beginnings of her orgasm. "What effect?"

"_You drive me crazy, Sakura. I can't think of anything but you. Compared to you, all other girls are unimportant and boring. You stand out from them all and just knowing you're _mine_…"_ Another grunt and in response to his sound of pleasure, her hips bucked. "_I couldn't think of a better person to give myself to entirely_."

Sakura's breathing stopped and orgasm finally captured her.

* * *

"You're looking much better this morning, Sakura."

She smiled shyly at the old woman and forced down her blush. Unfortunately, it hadn't been stopped in time at the Sabaku residence and Temari had immediately pounced on her, demanding to know what had happened. All Sakura did was mention that she'd had a phone call from Sasuke and the blonde understood exactly what had gone on.

"Thank you, Chiyo-baasama. But…" Sakura looked around with a frown. "Why are we standing outside of your office?"

"Because you have a visitor inside of it."

Her eyes widened. Somebody from home, possibly? Her mother? Was it Sasuke? Naruto? Hinata? Who the hell was it? At the displeasure on Chiyo's face, Sakura decided that whoever it was, was not somebody the old woman liked and at this realisation, her heart skipped a beat and fear swell inside of her. In her mind, there was only one person, one man, who could be disliked by everyone who crossed paths with him and that was…

Her father.

Not giving Sakura the chance to say anything (even though the girl wanted nothing more than to run down the hall and catch the next flight back to Konoha), Chiyo opened the door to her office and allowed it to fall back against the wall, unimpressed to find that the other person had sat down in _her_ desk.

"This is my rival, Sakura," Chiyo informed her as the other person stood up from the desk, knocking the breath out of Sakura at the sight of her. "Senju Tsunade."

The blonde behind the desk raised an eyebrow at her. "So _you're_ the girl who's already on her way to surpassing me, eh?"

* * *

**A/N - As you can all tell, I suck at talking dirty!**

**Oh and don't you worry! This won't be a love triangle and I hope I made that clear in this chapter. I'm a huge fan of GaaSaku, but I love SasuSaku too (and ItaSaku and KakaSaku) and I decided to make this story all about SasuSaku for once, without the love triangles.**


	17. It's Decided

**Chapter 17 – It's Decided**

"So _you're_ the girl who's supposedly on her way to surpassing me, eh?"

All Sakura was capable of doing was staring at the blonde.

It wasn't her father like she had been expecting it to be. Instead, it was the last person Sakura expected: Senju Tsunade. The legend of the medicine world. Somebody who was known to be greatly skilled.

She was a lot younger than Sakura was expecting her to be. Well, appearance-wise she was. There was no telling how old Tsunade truly was and it would be incredibly rude of her to ask. However, going off of her looks, Sakura would guess that she was around thirty.

Her blonde hair was long, reaching her waist and was pulled back into two loose ponytails that fell against her neck. It framed her sharp, yet beautiful features and somehow seemed to make her honey brown eyes more stunning than what they already appeared to be. It was clear that Tsunade was wearing quite a bit of makeup, too.

Sakura had given up on wearing her makeup in Suna unless it was at night (which there was no point, since she never went out) because she always ended up sweating too much and making it run. On her first day, she had had to wash it all off because she'd looked so ridiculous. The only benefit of not being able to wear any was that she was saving so much money. Not only that, but her skin was much clearer now. Constantly drinking water helped with that, too.

"Um…"

"Tsunade," Chiyo muttered and shut the door behind them with a harsh bang. "You're being too intimidating with her."

"Too intimidating?" she repeated, her honey brown eyes narrowing. "This girl is apparently on her way to surpassing me, Chiyo-_baasama_. If that's true, then she needs to toughen up."

After reading and hearing many stories about Senju Tsunade, Sakura had discovered that she was a strict woman who took absolutely no shit. She'd reduced seemingly unbreakable, tough guys to tears with her bad temper and harsh, blunt words. But still… Sakura found her presence to be suffocating. There was something about her that warned Sakura not to piss Tsunade off. Was this how others felt around herself? Sakura hoped not. The last thing she wanted was to make _anybody_ feel _this_ inferior and weak!

Just when Chiyo was about to speak, Tsunade silenced her by simply raising her hand and looking at Sakura expectantly. "What's your name?"

"Haruno Sakura."

"Oh, so you _can_ speak."

She blushed. "Yes, Tsunade-sama."

Chiyo burst into laughter. "There is no need to add that suffix to a woman like her, Sakura."

Oh no. Was she about to be caught up in an argument? Was Tsunade going to rise to the bait that was dangling in front of her? Sakura seriously hoped not. If she disagreed with Tsunade, then she would offend and disappoint one of her greatest idols and role models. And if she disagreed with Chiyo, there was the chance of pissing her boss off, which could either make working with her unpleasant, or could lead to her firing her. Not that Sakura thought Chiyo was _that_ kind of person, but there was no true way of knowing, was there?

Much to her relief, Tsunade did not take the bait and instead kept her eyes on Sakura, watching her curiously. The fact that she was ignoring Chiyo was a bigger insult than anything she could have possibly said to the old woman, in Sakura's eyes. It meant that the blonde classed her as unimportant, that she wasn't even worth the time of thinking of a reply.

"You're here until the end of summer."

Not to look like an idiot like she had earlier, Sakura quickly responded, "Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"It looks like I am, too, then."

What?

"What?" Chiyo demanded.

"Well I can't let the girl who's supposedly surpassing me slip through my fingers, can I?" Tsunade rolled her eyes and sat back down, ignoring Chiyo's angered expression when she kicked her feet up onto the desk. "I want to keep an eye on you, Haruno Sakura. To make sure you receive the correct lessons, if nothing else. But I also want to guide you."

Sakura found herself holding her breath, her heart swelling with an insane amount of hope in her chest. It felt like she was about to explode with happiness, with excitement. Did this mean what she thought it meant? Was Tsunade really…?

The blonde narrowed her eyes, giving Sakura a confident smirk. "I want to make you my apprentice."

She was surprised she didn't pull a Hinata and faint right there.

When she had met Sasuke's family, Sakura had told them that she would ask Tsunade to become her shishou, to teach her everything she knew and to guide her. But… She hadn't even asked. Tsunade had been the one to make the request. There were no words to describe how ecstatic that made her.

"I–" Sakura cut herself off and shook her head. "I don't know what to say."

"Say 'yes'." Her cocky smirk widened. "If you do, you will complete your summer programme here and Chiyo-baasama will still be your mentor. However, once the summer is over, you will be returning to Konoha with me and you will study under me."

Returning to Konoha. She could be with her friends and family again. With Sasuke. "College–"

The older woman cut her off with a dismissive wave. "If I told them that I want to teach a few classes here and there, they're hardly going to decline, are they? They would be thrilled to have me teaching their students. However." Honey brown eyes narrowed a fraction and Tsunade leaned forward. "Just know that I'm going to push you much harder than you've ever been pushed before. Not only will you be in college, but you will also shadow me from time to time at the hospital. If I was informed correctly, then you're already on your way to surpassing me. I want to make sure that _does_ happen and I want to be the one in charge of teaching you everything I know and more."

"B-But _why_? Why do you want me to surpass you?"

The serious look left her features and Tsunade offered her a gentle smile. "I'm not going to be around forever, unlike that old hag over there. And when I die, I want to make sure I've passed on all of my knowledge to somebody who has a great amount of potential, somebody who can be even greater than I am."

A hand was suddenly on her shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. "You have a friend in Suna, don't you? That red haired boy?"

Gaara had walked her to and from the hospital several times, so Chiyo had caught sight of him more than once. "Yeah."

"Go and spend the day with him and think all of this over carefully. I'm sure Tsunade will understand if you don't want to accept her apprenticeship. It will be very stressful and demanding, just like she is."

Oh, that was a sly dig, Sakura thought with an inward smirk. It was also payback for the 'old hag' comment, she realised.

So not only was she going to become Tsunade's apprentice (because there wasn't a chance in hell that she would turn an offer like _that_ down), but she also had the day off. Sakura could hardly believe her luck. It was like as soon as she hung up the phone last night, everything had suddenly gone back to going right for her. Maybe Sasuke was her good luck charm? Sakura bit back her grin. She couldn't wait to tell everyone!

"Oh, and another thing, Sakura." She quickly looked up at Tsunade, listening intently. "Under my apprenticeship, you will be paid for all hours you work in the hospital. This does not include time spent at college."

Things were just getting better and better. "Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"Yes?"

"I accept your apprenticeship!"

The blonde returned her smile, looking very proud. "Good. Now, go and do as Chiyo-baasama requested and take the day off. Go out and act like a kid for a while."

That sounded perfect.

* * *

She wasn't the only one in high spirits.

"We're celebrating!"

Did they already know? Sakura opened her mouth to question her as Temari dragged her into the living room, but just as they entered the room, she saw a large envelope sitting on the coffee table and she easily recognised it.

"Gaara–"

He smirked at her. "I'm coming back to Konoha."

She made a mental note to speak with Sasuke _every night_ now, because clearly, he was definitely her good luck charm. "So am I!"

"You are? What about the hospital here?"

"Tsunade-sama…"

Sakura shook her head, still unable to believe everything that happened and once she managed to calm herself, she told the three siblings everything that had just happened back at the hospital. She told them about her apprenticeship and how Tsunade wished to pass on all of her knowledge. And by the end of it, Temari was grabbing drinks out of the refrigerator, despite it only being noon, and passing them along to them all.

Things were looking so much better for them, but Sakura found herself feeling even happier for Gaara. He was smiling, truly smiling and for the first time since she arrived in Suna, he looked hopeful and excited and just… So happy. And what made it all better was that they'd both be in Konoha in the fall, along with Naruto and Hinata and Lee and–

Sasuke.

He still had to make his own choice.

Clinking her glass with the others, Sakura bit the inside of her cheek and did her best to continue smiling. What would Sasuke choose to do? She didn't want to change his mind in any way, but at the same time, she was hoping that he would stay in Konoha with her. Was that selfish? Oto and Kumo were both so much further from Konoha than Suna was.

But… She sighed. If Sasuke decided to go to Kumo or Oto, then they would find a way to make it work. That was what she kept telling herself. However, all Sakura could really think about was how she felt being away from him for so long – and it had only been a month and a half. They would go even longer without seeing each other if he went to the colleges in Kumo or Oto.

"I need to go and call my mom," Sakura told them with a smile, placing down her glass and going upstairs.

It was true that she wanted to tell her mother about the news, but she wasn't the only person. And Sakura found herself rushing the conversation with her mother over video chat, excitedly telling her about meeting Tsunade and the woman's generous offer, to which Mebuki began squealing and crying, telling her over and over again that she was so happy for her and had never felt more proud of her daughter. Not only that, but she was glad Sakura would be returning to Konoha and studying there, because it got so lonely at the apartment without her. Smiling sadly, she ended the video chat and looked for the next name, surprised to already find him online.

"Hey."

When his camera connected, Sakura couldn't help but smirk at his tired expression. It looked as though Sasuke had stayed up all night, most likely playing the game that had come out recently. That would also explain why he was online when it would be quite early in the morning in Konoha.

"_Sakura_."

She chuckled. "Did you stay up all night?" He nodded tiredly, rubbing his eyes. "You look exhausted."

"_I am_." Then, Sasuke glanced away, checking the clock before looking back to her. "_Aren't you supposed to be at the hospital_?"

"About that…"

And as Sakura shared the news with Sasuke, she watched as the tiredness slipped away from him like sand in an hourglass. He sat up slowly and placed his laptop down in front of him, watching her features with wide eyes and when Sakura finished her story, Sasuke was smirking at her.

"_I'm proud of you, Sakura_."

The words had her grinning. "I'm still in shock."

"_At least you'll be coming home and staying here,_" he murmured, looking genuinely happy about the news. "_I–_"

"I don't want my choice to change yours, Sasuke," Sakura told him seriously as she cut him off. "I don't want you to throw away any opportunities for me. You've been… so supportive about Suna and the hospital and… I want to do the same for you. Which is why… If you _do_ decide to go to Kumo or Oto, I… I understand." It hurt so much to say the words, but Sakura knew that they needed to be said. "I don't want to hold you back–"

"_You could never hold me back,_" Sasuke muttered in reply, his voice low and slow in a clear show of his exhaustion returning. "_And I was just about to tell you that I won't be attending the college in Oto. My father did some more research and made me sit through an hour long lecture last night. There's some pretty disgusting crimes going on in Oto and he doesn't want me to get caught up in them_."

So Oto was scratched off the list. Secretly, Sakura released a sigh of relief. All that was left was to decide between Konoha and Kumo, then. It was kind of annoying that Fugaku was making the decision for him, but she knew that Sasuke didn't mind entirely. His father was only looking out for him and wanted to make sure he would be safe. If Oto was too dangerous to be in? Then Sasuke would understand that and for the sake of not only keeping himself safe, but to make sure he didn't upset his family or cause them any pain, he would not go to Oto.

"Well, whatever you choose, I'm going to support you just like you've supported me. And if you go to Kumo, then I'm sure we can try a long distance relationship, right?"

There was reluctance in his eyes and she understood it so clearly that it hurt. Neither of them wanted to have a long distance relationship, they wanted to be by each other's side. Eventually, however, Sasuke nodded.

"_I'm going to look more into it and if I haven't made the decision within a week, my father will be taking me to the college to have a look around._"

That sounded fair. That way, Sasuke would be able to decide whether or not he wanted to be there. Speaking of a week's time…

"It's your birthday next week." She gave him a small smile. "I wish I was there with you."

He returned her smile. "_I know_."

"I'll make it up to you when I come home," she told him earnestly, trying her best to smile.

In response to her words, Sasuke smirked and raised an eyebrow. "_How would you do that_?"

Sakura couldn't help but laugh. "You need to sleep, pervert. I'll be online again tonight, so we can talk then."

Again, there was reluctance in his eyes, but his exhaustion won him over and Sasuke nodded, muttering his goodbyes and promises to speak again later that day. Shutting down her laptop, Sakura sighed and fell backwards so that she was laying on her back and staring up at the ceiling.

"You're upset."

The voice startled her, though she didn't sit up and instead only looked at Gaara as he pushed her door open and entered the room, laying down beside her on the bed. There was silence for a few minutes as they watched the ceiling together, like it was the most fascinating thing they'd ever seen, before Sakura finally replied, murmuring, "Don't get me wrong, I'm happy. Really, I am. It's just…" She sighed again. "I miss them all so much."

There was no vocal reply but she could see out of the corner of her eye that Gaara was listening and that he agreed with a single nod.

"I feel like I'm missing out."

"Why?" He frowned and turned his head to the side, watching the side of her face even though she continued to stare at the ceiling.

Sakura shook her head. "Most girls my age go to parties and hang out all the time with friends. They go to the cinema, to the park or to the mall! They go camping during the summer and they go on holidays with their families. What am I doing? I'm throwing away my childhood, my teenage years, to dive head first into adulthood."

That was the first thing Gaara had thought when Sakura told him the news of coming to Suna: she was throwing away her teenage years to become an adult. However, because it was something she'd truly wanted and he knew how important it was to her, Gaara had supported her. He'd told her what to expect of Suna, what their traditions were. Perhaps that was a mistake? Perhaps he should have told her to stay in Konoha? He shook his head and sighed. "Don't see it that way, Sakura. What you're doing, it… It's something you've always wanted to do."

"It's Sasuke's birthday next week."

Well, that was random.

"It's my boyfriend's birthday and I'm not even going to be there to wish him a happy birthday. I'm not going to be there to give him his gift. For my birthday, he went above and beyond to make it a great day since it was my eighteenth." Sakura looked over at him and there was a crease between her eyebrows, one that made her pain obvious. "It makes me feel _so selfish._"

Again, Gaara sighed. What could he possibly say in reply? No, she wasn't being selfish. It just went to prove how much the Uchiha had changed since he last met him. "Is that what all of this is about?" he questioned with a frown. "You don't want to be at Suna's hospital anymore because you're going to miss Uchiha's birthday?"

She shook her head. "No, it's–"

"He wouldn't care about that," Gaara muttered, facing the ceiling once more. "Despite the fact I don't like him, I _know_ Uchiha – or at least, I know part of him. He is a proud person, Sakura and in a way, I suppose he is honourable. Uchiha would want you to stay here and complete the summer programme because he knows how much it means to you. So what if you miss his birthday? There will be plenty in the future." Unless he managed to piss Gaara off, of course. With another sigh, he reached out and took Sakura's hand, giving it a soft squeeze. "So far in your relationship, you said that he's gone out of his way to make you happy. This is just another thing he will sacrifice."

Tears filled her eyes and Sakura tightened her hold on his hand. "Sasuke shouldn't be the only one sacrificing things."

"Perhaps not," he agreed. "You just have to find a balance."

He always knew how to cheer her up or how to comfort her. Sakura smiled tiredly and felt extremely grateful for Gaara's presence. Whereas it intimidated others, it comforted her greatly and made Sakura feel like she could be herself around him. It made her feel like it was an honour to be his friend, because Gaara accepted very few people. Just knowing that he'd accepted her…

She smiled again. "What would I do without you?"

Unsurprisingly, Gaara smirked. "Nothing. You would be too devastated and hopeless to function without me."

That was probably true, in a way. Whenever she was down, he picked her up. Whenever she needed a friend, even though he was miles away, he was there. "I'm so glad you're coming back to Konoha."

"Me too."

"No fighting with Sasuke."

There was a pause, one that he dragged out deliberately and when Sakura glanced up at him and raised an eyebrow, he smirked once more. "I suppose I can restrain myself."

"If not, I'll be more than happy to help."

Another pause. The last time she had restrained him, Sakura had almost broken his wrist as well as his nose. He would rather that didn't happen again. "…I can restrain myself."

She grinned wickedly.

* * *

A week flew by quicker than Sakura even thought possible, but that was probably because she just wasn't looking forward to Sasuke's birthday. How could she when she wasn't there to celebrate it with him? Everyone tried their best to cheer her up and when Sakura spoke with Sasuke, he tried to cheer her up, too. The only good thing about being so far away from him was that Sasuke couldn't tell when her smiles were fake.

It broke her heart.

Right at that moment in time, she knew that her boyfriend would be in Kumo. It was because of that fact that they hadn't spoken much. The only way they could speak was through a phone call and the time difference was too great between Suna and Kumo. One time, he had tried to call Sakura and she was fast asleep. Another time, just before he went to bed, and she was at the hospital. It was beginning to stress her out, though Sakura tried her hardest not to focus on it.

At Gaara's insistence, nobody in Konoha knew about his eventual return. It shocked her (though soon brought a smile to her face), but he wanted to surprise his friends and see their reactions for himself.

He would be staying in Suna for the rest of summer with her but while Sakura was at the hospital, he was preparing and packing. There wasn't much that he wanted to take to Konoha and he was buying furniture when he was there, so all that was really needed to pack were his clothes, books and other personal items. As well as that, Gaara would be setting up a place to live.

Fortunately, there were always apartments available in her building and if he was lucky, then Gaara could possibly even have the one next to Lee's. The last tenants had to move because they grew tired of listening to him working out all of the time. At first, they thought that he'd had a lady friend over, what with all the grunting and panting and whatnot. Oh, their shock when they went by his window one morning and saw him doing upside down push ups was amazing.

All of the furniture planning would be left to Temari, who was buying the furniture online and having it delivered to his new apartment closer to the move in day. And Sakura found herself feeling so excited for Gaara, because this was exactly what he needed. He needed to get out of Suna and be around his friends once more.

Being at the hospital allowed her to partly forget her struggle with speaking to Sasuke and it took her mind off everything that was bothering her. Sure, her jobs weren't exciting and most of the time, Sakura simply watched Chiyo treating patients, but that was beside the point.

As well as that, Tsunade was working at the hospital until the summer was over and while she was working there, she was also watching over Sakura. That much, the girl was sure of. Why Tsunade felt the need to watch her watching Chiyo, she'd never know. Perhaps the blonde was watching her reactions? Seeing how she spoke to patients or treated them? Sakura hoped she was making a good impression, though not making it seem forced.

"You know," Sakura said conversationally as she and Gaara made their way back to the hospital, "it's been well over a month now and I haven't seen your friend once."

"Friend," he scoffed, like the word was a joke. "She is not my friend."

"But she _does_ follow you around."

"Yes."

"Then where is she?"

Gaara sighed and looked behind himself, trying to see if he could spot Matsuri, but it was much too busy in the streets and most people had the same hair colour as her, so she didn't stand out like he and Sakura did. "I don't know."

Sipping her water, she glanced up at him. Since it was her lunch break, Gaara treated her to lunch like he did most days. Sometimes she tried to pay, too, but he always rolled his eyes and paid anyway, telling her to keep her money.

He knew about the financial difficulties at home and he wasn't hesitant about mentioning them. In fact, Gaara was always telling her to save her money and if she wanted to spend it that badly, then she should give it back to her mother, who could then buy something they needed. He, on the other hand, had more money than he could spend thanks to the large inheritance that he finally received after turning eighteen.

It was during childbirth that the Sabaku siblings lost their mother and fourteen years later, their father had also passed away. That was just before they moved back to Suna – it was the reason _why_ they moved back to Suna. To take care of him until he eventually died. It was some kind of terminal illness, but she'd never really asked much about it because even though he appeared uncaring, Sakura knew it bothered Gaara. He didn't like speaking of it or his father.

After their father's death, both Temari and Kankuro wanted to stay in Suna, to feel closer to him and unfortunately, due to being under eighteen Gaara could not argue so had no choice but to stay in Suna, too. And Sakura knew that the older siblings felt bad about it now that they realised staying there affected him, which was why they were so happy about Gaara being accepted to Konoha's college. He had a life in Konoha.

"Do you think she'll miss you?" She nudged his arm with her elbow, giving him a small smile. "Or will you miss her?"

"I–"

"_Gaara-sama_!"

Sakura frowned at the voice and her frown only deepened at the added suffix. Sama? Really? Were they seriously going down that road again? As if it wasn't bad enough that Sasuke's fan-girls called him 'Sasuke-sama', but it seemed Gaara's admirer also called him 'Gaara-sama'. Why? What was so wrong about '–kun' nowadays? Did it not show enough affection?

"I told you to stop calling me that."

There was no friendliness in his tone or features as Gaara spoke to the girl, completely unlike how he spoke with Sakura and she found herself feeling rather surprised. Well, she shouldn't really because that was how he spoke to everyone he didn't know well, but still.

The girl standing in front of them was short with mousy brown hair and dark eyes. It bothered Sakura how those eyes never met her own, how they stayed locked on Gaara's in an unfaltering, tender stare. Didn't she realise how creepy that looked? Oh Gods, did _she_ stare at Sasuke like that? Sakura seriously hoped not. She didn't want to freak her own boyfriend out, after all.

"This is Sakura," Gaara told the girl before she could say anything. "Sakura, this is Matsuri."

Finally, dark eyes snapped to green and Sakura could have sworn hatred flashed in them. Why would she hate her? It wasn't like she and Gaara were dating. And Matsuri didn't even know her. Damn it. It pissed Sakura off so much when fan-girls did things like that, when they hated their idol's friends or possible love interests or whatever. Sasuke's were just as bad!

"Hey." Sakura offered her a smile.

When she returned it, Matsuri's was forced. "Hi." Then, her eyes shifted back to Gaara's. "Are you doing anything tonight, Gaara-sama?"

His hand twitched ever so slightly as she once again added the suffix. "Yes."

"What about tomorrow?"

"Busy."

"The day after?"

"Busy."

Sakura wanted nothing more than to punch her best friend and tell him to just tell Matsuri he wasn't interested, because it was beginning to annoy the hell out her simply standing around listening to their conversation. It was awkward and uncomfortable and embarrassing for all of them, but Matsuri the most and Sakura found herself feeling so sorry for her.

"Well…" Matsuri frowned but then smiled once more. "What are you doing? Maybe I could join you?"

"I am preparing for my move."

Oh no…

He wasn't going to…

"You're moving?" she questioned softly, tilting her head to the side. "Where?"

He was, wasn't he?

"Konoha."

Damn it. That boy could be so clueless and heartless at times. And her pity for Matsuri only grew as Sakura _watched_ her heart breaking.

"Konoha…" Tears filled her eyes. "But that's… That's so far away!"

"I know."

Sakura frowned up at him. "Gaara…"

Couldn't he be just a little more sensitive? Yes, Sakura understood that he was probably sick and tired of having Matsuri following him around and yes, she understood that he probably couldn't wait to see the back of her, but… But Sakura also knew how it felt to have the one you admired turning against you. She knew what it felt like to having your heart broken.

"It is the only way to make her understand."

She shook her head. "You… You kept saying you didn't want me to go back to Sasuke because of the way he hurt me, because it was unforgivable the way he hurt me." Sakura gestured to Matsuri with a pained expression. "Look at what you're doing to her, Gaara. How is this any different?"

Her words had him tensing, had his icy blue eyes widening a fraction. That was what she had meant previously by saying she cleared his head. Gaara helped her to understand what she was doing wrong, but the same went for her, too. Sakura made him stop and listen, made him see and understand that he wasn't right, or what he was doing wasn't right.

After a long pause, Gaara shut his eyes and lowered his head a fraction. "I'm sorry, Matsuri."

The girl sobbed in response and made the mistake of reaching out to him, trying to hold him, effectively making him tense and take a half step backwards. The moment she realised she'd done the wrong thing, however, Matsuri dropped her arms to her sides. "Please don't go, Gaara-sama! We can be happy here. Together!"

His patience was slipping and he hadn't much of it in the first place. "I don't return your feelings."

"You can learn to love what's good for you!"

"Being in Suna is not good for me."

"Then I can come to Konoha with you once I've finished at the ho–"

"Enough," Sakura couldn't help but snap, suddenly realising why Gaara had been so blunt with the girl. She just didn't understand, did she? "Matsuri-san, I'm sorry, but Gaara isn't looking for any romantic attachments right now. He hasn't been himself lately and being here is partly to blame."

Matsuri shook her head, refusing to look at Sakura. "I can make it all go away!"

"You can't," Gaara snarled, his anger rising rapidly. "I have tried to be kind to you, Matsuri. I have made it known that your feelings aren't returned. I don't feel anything for you. More than once, when you have seemed down and lonely, I have spent time with you because I know how that feels." He shook his head, looking annoyed with himself more than her. "Perhaps I was wrong for trying to comfort you because it seems I have been doing nothing but leading you on. Your fantasies will never come true, Matsuri."

Wait, fantasies? Feeling down? Why did all of this suddenly feel like so much more was going on? And her crush on Gaara was hardly healthy, was it? The girl was willing to throw everyone and everything away to be with him. She was willing to run away to another country! That–

"_There she is_!"

Dark eyes widened but just as she was about to run, Gaara grabbed her wrist and refused to let go, staring over her head at the three men running towards them. It terrified Sakura and she started to remember being told about kidnappings in Konoha. He wasn't helping out with that, was he? No, Gaara was a good person! Of course he wouldn't. On top of that, the men were wearing the same white uniform and behind them were two women, one of them walking much more slowly than the younger one. They were both wearing the same angered expression, however.

"Tsunade-sama?" Sakura gasped. "Chiyo-baasama? What's going on?"

"Our patient ran out of the hospital once again." Chiyo sighed, watching as Gaara kept a hold of Matsuri until the men were able to restrain her. "She–"

"You're not taking me back to The Crazies," Matsuri growled, struggling against them. "I don't belong with them. I belong with Gaara-sama! We're going to move to Konoha and be together and–"

Matsuri was mentally unstable.

Sakura felt her breath leave her like somebody had punched her in the gut. During the conversation, she'd realised that Matsuri's crush was more of an obsession and that it wasn't healthy in the slightest, but… How could she have not noticed the girl had a mental illness? She was training to be a doctor! Noticing these things would be vital. It could save lives!

"How you keep escaping from a hospital like that, I'll never know," Tsunade muttered before looking to the two teenagers. "You must be Gaara, then." When the redhead nodded, she sighed and nodded once to him. "I have been informed about you. Thank you for keeping her distracted and talking again."

Wait, she was missing something.

Whirling around, she glared up at Gaara. "What's going on?"

"You don't have time to be standing around, Sakura," stated Chiyo. "Gaara, please escort Sakura back to the hospital. Tell her what you wish."

Again, he nodded once and silently accepted the orders before he grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her away from the group who were now causing a scene. When the civilians realised who it was, however, they continued about their day, which only made Sakura's confusion grow.

"Tell me what the hell that was about," Sakura snapped at him, trying to tug her arm free but it was a wasted attempt. "Gaara–"

"I told you before that you would see her around." The struggling ceased since she knew it would do no good and instead, she sighed, agreeing. "Matsuri is a patient at the hospital and has been for many years now. I don't know what mental disorder she has, but I think it's obvious that there's one there."

"But how did _you_ get involved? Tsunade-sama said _again_."

Not for the first time, Gaara sighed and loosened his hold on her arm, noticing that he must have been causing some discomfort. "When I first returned to Suna, Matsuri wasn't on the ward. They decided to see how well she coped out here, since she was seeming so much better in the hospital. But…" He shook his head and came to a stop, sitting down on a bench. "She lives in her own world, Sakura. When we met, I had just lost my father and I was sitting on a swing in the park. That is where we met for the first time."

Slowly, after a moment of thinking about it, Sakura sat down beside him and frowned. "What happened?"

He sat back, staring up at the cloudless blue sky. "We just sat there together for a while."

And then just like that, the obsession started? "Is that all?"

Again, Gaara sighed and nodded his head. "The next time I saw her was around school. Well, more like I heard her. She was telling people about how we were together and in love. Apparently, during the short time that we sat together on the swings, I told Matsuri that I wanted to spend my life with her. Get married and have children. She said we met online and I moved back here to be with her."

Turning his head in her direction, Gaara frowned. "I didn't know what was going on and as you can expect, I was losing my control on my anger. People were always staring and sneering about me, pushing my anger to its limits and–" He cut himself off with a growl, clenching his fists. "That is when Chiyo came to the school. They called her about Matsuri's problems and after speaking to her, she sat me down and explained what was going on.

"Matsuri's parents died not too long before I arrived and it set off some kind of reaction in her head. Chiyo asked that I did my best not to lose my temper with her, but at the same time, I was to make it clear nothing would ever happen between us." Like he had the other day to comfort her, Sakura grabbed his hand. "So I avoided her. That is when the stalking began."

He squeezed her hand and the look of guilt on his face upset her greatly. "Over the years, Matsuri has been in and out of the hospital until eventually they decided it was too risky to keep her out. Maybe her disorder became more serious, or she became a danger to herself and the public, I don't know. They can't share anything with me because I'm not a relation of hers. Somehow… Matsuri always manages to break out of the hospital. Every time that happens, every time she approaches me, I know that I have to keep her talking. I have to keep her distracted and with me until they come for her again."

And it was weighing him down immensely. Gaara shouldn't have to be in charge of something like that. He shouldn't be the one to protect the girl, or to keep her distracted. It was an honourable thing, there was no denying that and Sakura was so very proud of her best friend for enduring Matsuri and her illness for so long, but it wasn't fair in the least. He shouldn't have to worry about when he would next have to stop Matsuri or anything of the sort.

"Why didn't you ever tell me that?"

"You keep things from me, too."

"That's–"

"Different? How?" When she scowled and looked away, Gaara breathed deeply in an attempt to calm himself. After a few minutes, it worked. "I thought I could handle it."

"But you can't."

Wordlessly, he shook his head.

* * *

It was much later that night when Sakura sat down beside him on the sofa, though she refused to look him in the eye and instead kept her eyes on the television.

"The thing I never told you…"

Gaara sat up and frowned, not liking the pain in her eyes. He knew not to speak, however. This was Sakura's moment to open up to him again. If he spoke now, there was a high chance of her shutting him out like she usually did. Gaara knew her too well and was too determined to know what was bothering her, to let that happen again.

"It's about my dad." Against her thighs, Sakura's fists clenched and much to his surprise, tears filled her eyes. "He… He used to hit my mom."

Anger flashed through him to the point where Gaara felt like he couldn't even breathe. Sakura's father had hit Mebuki? Why? During his time in Konoha, Gaara had never met a more selfless, caring woman and it was obvious that she adored her daughter. How the hell could somebody attack her?

"I didn't… I didn't even know until I was thirteen."

And as Sakura told him the whole story, as she told him everything she hadn't before, Gaara could feel his anger boiling dangerously. That bastard… If he ever crossed paths with Haruno Kizashi, it was safe to say that the man would not be walking away. Not only had he repeatedly beaten Mebuki, but he had also harmed Sakura.

His best friend.

Fortunately, the ringing of the doorbell distracted Gaara's anger momentarily and Sakura watched with tired eyes as he left the living room. It had taken her the rest of her shift in the hospital to come to her decision of telling him everything. And she was glad that she did, because already her shoulders felt much lighter than usual.

It had been scary, though, Sakura wasn't going to lie. She had shared that story with only one person before and even then, that had been over instant messenger. Telling Gaara _in person_ had terrified her. But because he had shared so much with her earlier after the incident with Matsuri, Sakura knew that it was time she told him everything. They were best friends and she trusted him.

"_Sakura, it's for you."_

For her? Sakura frowned as she got up off the sofa and made her way to the front door. Who could possibly be at the door for her? Other than the people she was temporarily living with, Chiyo and Tsunade, she didn't know anyone in Suna. Maybe she had an admirer? Sasuke wouldn't like that too much, would he? Or maybe–

Her eyes went wide as Sakura turned the corner and saw who was standing in the doorway.

"Sasuke?"

He smirked at her, looking so very proud of himself for catching her off guard. "Sakura."

* * *

**A/N - It's too hot for me to be outside, if that even makes any sense. I was outside yesterday for quite a while and today I woke up with a horrible headache and just ew. It's not like I even tan or anything, either! I don't burn and I don't tan. Must be the ginger gene.**

**So yeah, because I finished this chapter, I decided to post it. It was more of a filler chapter than anything else, but I hope you liked what happened in it and the ending!**

**Anybody got any ideas about what they want to see next chapter?**


	18. Make It Special

**Chapter 18 – Make It Special**

"_Sakura, it's for you."_

For her? Sakura frowned as she got up off the sofa and made her way to the front door. Who could possibly be at the door for her? Other than the people she was temporarily living with, Chiyo and Tsunade, she didn't know anyone in Suna. Maybe she had an admirer? Sasuke wouldn't like that too much, would he? Or maybe–

Her eyes went wide as Sakura turned the corner and saw who was standing in the doorway.

"Sasuke?"

He smirked at her, looking so very proud of himself for catching her off guard. "Sakura."

All she was capable of doing was staring at him in wide eyed shock.

Gaara rolled his eyes and stepped to the side, opening the door further. "Come in. It will take her a moment to calm down."

Part of Sasuke wanted to snap that he already knew that, but he knew better than to try and start an argument. Well, more like he was too exhausted to start one. His parents had thought it would be best to get some sleep and see Sakura tomorrow, but how could he do that when he knew he wouldn't be staying long?

Just as Sasuke was about to follow Gaara into the living room, Sakura's hand shot out and grabbed the collar of his shirt, effectively bringing him to a stop.

"You…" She frowned up at him. "You're supposed to be in Kumo."

His previous smirk returned. "My mother managed to talk him into stopping off in Suna on our way back."

"But… Why?"

The smirk slipped away and Sasuke instead frowned at her. "To see you."

"I'm not complaining," Sakura told him suddenly when she realised how he had taken her reaction. Shaking her head, she released his shirt and grabbed his hand, smiling softly. "I just… I can't believe you're really here with me. In Suna."

His eyes softened and Sasuke was glad that Gaara had given them some privacy. Not only so they could greet each other, but also because seeing public displays of affection most likely made him uncomfortable. Sasuke didn't care. Just as long as he got to spend some time with Sakura.

"I missed you," she whispered when his hands moved to her hips and brought her close.

The smile on his face was soft, small. "I missed you."

It was so difficult to get her head around the fact that Sasuke was actually there with her. Part of her was strongly against the thought, telling her that she'd dozed off, or the heat had finally caused her to go crazy. The mere thought of him being there, after everything Sasuke had told her about his father strongly disagreeing with the just the _idea_ of his sons being in Suna…

Sakura breathed out a shaky laugh when Sasuke pressed his forehead to hers. He was there. He was really there with her. Which meant…

"You idiot." Tears filled her eyes no matter how hard she fought to keep them away. "You're not going to get your birthday present until you get home now."

"You didn't have–"

"I _wanted_ to," she argued quietly. "I arranged with my mom for her to hand it over to Itachi-san at the diner tonight."

There was a smile on his lips as Sasuke kissed her softly, slowly and when he pulled away, the smile remained, much to her joy. Uchiha Sasuke's smile… There were no words to describe how heart shatteringly beautiful it truly was. It made her want to cry all over again, for absolutely no reason at all, when he wiped away the tears that had silently slipped down her cheeks.

"Don't cry," he murmured.

"I'm just… so happy to see you! I feel like it's been–"

"Too long."

Sakura nodded quickly. "How long are you here for?"

"Just the weekend. Will you be at the hospital at all?" When she shook her head, he pulled her closer by his grip on her hips. "Stay with me for the weekend. My parents have booked us into one of the hotels and I have my own room."

Nervousness began to creep into her stomach. Going off their conversations alone, Sakura knew what would happen if she stayed with him for the weekend. Perhaps not straight away, but at some point, they _would_ have sex. It was no longer a 'maybe', it was a fact. Their conversations lately, their night together before she left for Suna, all pointed in that direction. In a way, they could almost be classed as foreplay, right? Oh Gods, just the thought made her nervousness double. Since their intimacy before she left, Sakura could no longer understand why she'd been telling Sasuke 'no' for so long. She couldn't remember her reasons. They were blurred thoughts now. Mere worries that were unimportant.

"You don't have to," Sasuke added after a moment and much to her surprise, the tips of his ears turned pink as well as a very faint blush spreading out over his cheeks. "I'm not trying to push you–"

"No, no," she cut him off with a smile. "No, I'd love to stay with you for the weekend. Just let me grab my things and tell Gaara."

* * *

It was nothing like her hotel room would have been like.

When booking her hotel for the summer, Sakura had been able to look at pictures online. It wasn't one of those cheap, barely standing places, but it certainly wasn't luxurious, either. There had been a single bedroom with a small stand-in shower connected to it and a room with the toilet next to that. Both the shower and the sink were in full view of the bedroom and across from the bed, hanging on the wall, was a twenty–five inch television.

Sasuke's room, however…

"Wow."

Several light switches rested beside the door that held three different locks and a peephole and as Sakura tested them, she found that the one closest to the door lit up the living area of his room, while the middle one lit up the bedroom area. The final light switch was for the lights around the dresser, allowing the person getting ready a perfect amount of light.

It couldn't even be called a small apartment because Sakura had the feeling that it was twice the size of her apartment back home in Konoha. Who would need such a large amount of space? Was Sasuke expecting more guests? Then again, Fugaku was the one who booked the rooms (to prove that point, there was a door that connected to the room he and Mikoto were staying in and it had to remain unlocked in case of emergencies).

Sakura had had to bite back her laugh when Fugaku handed Sasuke an alarm. If anything happened during the night, if anybody attempted to attack or kidnap him, then all he would have to do was press a single button and a deafeningly loud alarm would sound, waking everyone within a half mile radius. It was the only way to make him agree to the short trip, Sasuke had muttered.

The carpet beneath her feet was thick, allowing her toes to sink right into it and it contrasted amazingly with the wallpaper and heavy curtains. But everything looked so expensive that Sakura hardly dared to breathe, let alone use anything. What if she broke something? It would probably cost hundreds of thousands to fix it!

Slowly, she lowered her bag to the floor and took a few steps forward, pausing and watching how Sasuke moved around so carelessly, like a room such as this was just about adequate. No, Sakura wasn't saying that her boyfriend was a spoilt brat (even though he kind of was), but… She didn't know how to explain it other than saying he was an Uchiha. What more could be expected?

"We have all the channels," Sasuke told her as he picked up the remote and switched the television on, immediately flipping it to a movie channel. "See anything you want to watch?" She shook her head. "There's some pretty good horrors on."

It was nice that he remembered horror was her favourite genre. "Put one of those on."

He nodded, doing as she said. "Are you hungry?"

He was trying to fill the silence, Sakura realised. "Not really, but I'll have something small if you're eating."

Again, another nod.

That was how Sakura knew he was nervous. Sasuke tried to fill the silence, which was something he'd never do otherwise. Usually, her boyfriend was not one for talking, but if he was feeling anxious or nervous? It would be too much to say he rarely stayed quiet, but it was close enough.

"Do you mind if I have a quick shower?" Sakura asked after a pause. "It's been a long day at the hospital and I doubt I smell pleasant."

Very faintly, she saw him swallow before he pointed to the door closest to the bed. "Sure. The bathroom is over there."

It was quickly that she picked up her bag and entered the bathroom, locking the door behind herself and once it was, she started the shower and took a deep breath, willing herself to calm down. Getting so worked up was going to make things uncomfortable, wasn't it? And Sasuke had already stated that he didn't want to push her into anything she wasn't ready for, or for Sakura to feel like he was pushing too hard.

She took another deep breath and stripped down, stepping into the large shower. It felt more like it was raining down on her rather than using a single shower head due to the way the shower worked. In fact, it probably looked as though Sakura was standing in the rain. It was definitely relaxing, even if it was a little over the top and unnecessary.

He had already made it clear that nothing would happen if that was what she wanted. They would only go as far as she was comfortable with. That didn't mean Sakura couldn't see the look in Sasuke's eyes, though. Or the tension in his body. He wanted things to go further and had even told her that.

How long had they been together for now? Eight months, right? Nearly nine? Would some consider it as strange that they hadn't had sex yet? Many times Sakura had heard some of the other girls talking about how far they'd gone with their boyfriends. However, she and Hinata had always exchanged a certain look, one that clearly stated to the other that they did not approve.

Those other girls made themselves look like trash, like they were nothing more than a piece of meat for their boyfriends to have fun with. That was something Sakura had always despised and wanted to avoid. Was that why she had been putting off having sex with Sasuke? Because she was worried how others would see her? Why was she so concerned with others' opinions?

Gripping her upper arms and gritting her teeth, Sakura tried her best to calm down. Why was she getting so angry at herself, anyway? It was only natural to feel worried or even a little scared about how others thought of you. Everybody had that fear at one point or another in their lives. And Sasuke understood that it wasn't because of him, right?

Finally managing to get a grip on her anger, Sakura relaxed and grabbed the shampoo, sighing as she did so.

There was no denying that her body began to heat up dramatically at just the mere thought of Sasuke taking her virginity. Would she be taking his, too? Yes, she would. Sakura was certain that he'd said he was a virgin before. And that knowledge made her body grow even hotter.

She would be taking Uchiha Sasuke's virginity.

Once more, nervousness took over her and she very nearly found it impossible to wash out her shampoo. What if he thought she was bad in bed? What was she supposed to do? Oh Gods, what if she smelled _down there_? Was it clean? Sakura made a mental note to be extra thorough while washing after she had finished with her hair. What about her breath? Would there be any point in drying her hair or putting it up? Was she supposed to wear fancy lingerie? Sakura wasn't even sure if she had any of her nice sets with her.

Deep breaths.

Pressing her forehead against the cool tiled wall, Sakura slowly took deep breaths and released them.

* * *

Slowly, Sasuke sat down on the bed and swallowed hard, vaguely registering that he sunk right into the mattress.

Suna's heat was unwanted but not unbearable. He'd been to places equally as hot so wasn't too fussed about it, although he would be lying if Sasuke said he wasn't looking forward to the temperature drop as night finally approached them.

As he heard the shower switching on, he fell backwards so that he was laying on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Everything seemed so plain in Suna and because of that, Sakura stood out so much more than she usually did. Even when he wasn't looking at her, even when she wasn't near him, Sasuke was painfully aware of her and every move she made. Everything about her was calling to him and it was driving him mad.

Sasuke had told her that he didn't want to push her into anything she wasn't ready for or didn't want – and he stood by that – but… His body was aching for hers. Just knowing that Sakura was in the bathroom, _naked_, was giving him an erection. What he had told her on the phone only last week hadn't been an exaggeration: just the thought of her turned him on.

Perhaps asking her to stay with him in his hotel room for the weekend hadn't been one of his brightest ideas, but Sasuke simply wanted to make every minute count. He wanted to fall asleep with her in his arms and wake up to her warm smile. He wanted to spoil her and hear her laugh again – and not over the phone. Hell, Sasuke would be content with just watching television with her. Just as long as he got to spend time with her.

Another part of him, however, wanted to spend the weekend doing nothing other than fucking her. Sasuke was trying to push that part of him away, but it clung to him like a bad smell. His current erection was an example of that.

The air around them was different. That was something Sasuke had noticed the moment he saw Sakura at Sabaku's place. It wasn't a bad change, though there was definitely something different about it. In his mind, it sounded stupid and cliché, but it was like the air around them was charged. More so than usual. It felt like the tension was so thick that it could be cut through with a blunt knife.

And of course he hadn't come unprepared. Once discovering that his mother had managed to talk his father into visiting Sakura in Suna, just before they left, he'd spoken with Itachi. Much to his embarrassment and horror, his older brother had left the house and returned not long after with a bag filled with a couple of boxes of condoms. All Itachi had said while handing them over was that it was better to be safe than to be sorry.

Also, during their discussion _before_ Itachi left, he had told Sasuke quite a few things, such as what to expect. "_It won't last long_," was what he'd murmured, "_and most girls do not orgasm during their first time, so don't be put off if you can't make that happen_." By that time, Sasuke had been red faced and embarrassed, but still listened to his older brother since he wanted to make sure Sakura's first time was special for her.

Then he said something that made Sasuke pale. "_It will more than likely hurt Sakura-san, too, so you must be gentle with her._"

Hurt her? It had almost put him off the idea. _Almost_. The last thing Sasuke ever wanted to do was hurt Sakura, who was so very precious to him now and the thought made him silently promise that he would do everything possible _not_ to hurt her.

"_You must make sure that she is ready, Sasuke._"

"_Ready_?" he'd questioned with a frown of confusion.

"_A woman's first time is painful mainly due to the fact that they are untouched. The intrusion is foreign to them. You must take your time to prepare Sakura-san for that intrusion because otherwise it will make the pain even worse for her._"

That was when Sasuke had clicked onto what Itachi was saying and had been rather grateful that his brother hadn't been more blunt with the words, instead finding more tamed ones. What he was basically saying was that Sasuke had to make sure she was wet before entering her. It was obvious she would have never been touched in such a way before (she was a virgin, after all) but the reminder was accepted gratefully. It reminded him not to get carried away with himself, or get too lost in the moment.

Sure, speaking to Itachi about such a subject had been uncomfortable, however, Sasuke was grateful for his honesty and his advice. It made him feel better prepared for whatever could happen between himself and Sakura and now that Itachi had given him that advice, he knew to take his time and be more gentle with her. There was no point in trying to do anything extravagant or over the top (like in the porn videos) because he probably wouldn't even last that long. Sasuke would have to build up his stamina and the both of them would need to feel more comfortable in that area before trying anything more adventurous.

But should he try anything tonight? That was what Sasuke couldn't decide on. Would it be too soon to try anything straight away? The last thing he wanted was to make Sakura feel as though he wanted nothing but sex from her, or to push her into something she didn't want to do. Due to their phone calls, Sasuke knew that Sakura wanted to have sex, he just wasn't sure on how to go about it. Did he bring it up to her in conversation? Did he simply make it obvious through advances? If they were in a movie, Sasuke knew he would have been lighting candles and bringing out some sort of fancy alcoholic beverage. That wouldn't be happening for three reasons.

Firstly, did he seriously look like the type of guy who carried candles on his person? Secondly, despite now being legal in Konoha, they were classed as underage in Suna and were unable to purchase or drink alcohol. Thirdly, it seemed way too over the top.

Sakura had once told him that she wanted her first time to be special but that didn't mean she wanted a load of fancy things around her or going on. What she meant was that she wanted it to make a mark on her, one she would never be able to forget. Sakura wanted to feel special and appreciated. She wanted to feel loved. It would not be about sex. It would be the connection that made it special for her.

Sitting up as he heard the shower switching off, Sasuke glanced in the direction of the bathroom door. Whatever happened, happened. He wouldn't force anything and he wouldn't push her. Tonight, when they were laying in bed, he'd make it known what he wanted to do and if Sakura responded to that need, then so be it. If she didn't, then he could wait.

When Sakura left the bathroom, Sasuke had to look away. Her hair was still wet and her pyjamas were thin and clinging to her figure, making his mouth feel ridiculously dry.

"The… bathroom is free," Sakura told him quietly, pushing the door further open. "You can shower now, if you want."

He nodded and stood up, grabbing a pair of sweatpants before brushing by her and entering the bathroom. She tried not to let his actions bother her. If the look in his eyes before Sasuke looked away meant anything, then he was just as nervous as she was.

Biting her lip, she dropped her bag onto the dresser and made her way over to the sofa, sitting down on it and folding her legs beneath her. Her stomach growled only a moment after looking to the television. Had Sasuke ordered them any food? Despite her stomach's growls, Sakura honestly didn't feel hungry. That wasn't unusual, however. Living in the desert (even if it was only temporary) meant you were constantly looking for ways to cool down unless it was night. Eating warm food in weather such as this was simply impossible for her. In fact, the heat took away her appetite completely unless it was a cool salad or an ice cream.

A knock on the door that took them to Fugaku and Mikoto's room dragged her attention away from the thought of food, but there was no time to stand up and greet the other person as she entered the room.

"M-Mikoto-san!"

"Good evening, Sakura-chan." Just as Sakura was about to stand, the older woman shook her head. "Please, stay seated. I just came to inform both you and Sasuke that Fugaku and I are retiring for the night."

Already? It had only just gone nine! Then again, since they were adults, they most likely had a bar in their room or something along those lines. Maybe this was their way of asking for some privacy?

"Before we do, however, I just wanted to ask if there was anything you would like? Please do not hesitate to ask."

Sakura shook her head, smiling politely. "No, thank you. I'm comfortable for now."

Nodding in understanding, Mikoto surprised her by offering Sakura a small, happy smile. "I'm glad I talked Fugaku into this short trip. Although it is only for the weekend, I can see already that Sasuke is happy to see you. He's been down for weeks."

He had? The thought brought up torn emotions and Sakura didn't know whether to accept the warming of her heart, or to feel saddened for Sasuke, so she chose to experience both.

Hearing that the shower was still running, the Uchiha mother made her way closer to Sakura, sitting down on the back of the cream sofa with her body tilted towards hers. "I'm really hoping Sasuke chooses to study in Konoha. Not only because he's my son and the thought of him being so many miles away pains me, but because I know he won't handle the separation well. The distance between himself and his family, his friends and from you. It will torture him."

Slowly, she nodded in agreement and sighed. "Sasuke… He's not the type to reach out to others. With me, it was a rare occurrence, right?"

Again, the mother nodded. "Indeed it was, which is partly why I was so welcoming of you in the beginning. Before I got to know you, I was wary of you, Sakura-chan." Sighing, she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Do not take it offensively. It was simply due to what I heard about your anger. For Sasuke, however, I decided to give you a chance. He is so like his older brother in many ways, but Itachi is much more gentle than Sasuke. He doesn't mind showing that he cares, if he deeply cares for somebody.

"Sasuke, on the other hand, keeps everything so very close to him. He dislikes showing how he feels and letting others into his heart. I think, so far, the only ones to have made it all the way into his heart are his family, Naruto-kun and now you." Again, there was another sigh as Mikoto turned her head to the side, gazing out of the window despite there being nothing special to see. "Due to Itachi's kind nature and his surname and fortune, many women have tried to take advantage of him. I'm his mother, however." She smiled down at Sakura suddenly, tapping the side of her head. "And mothers can spot a fake friend miles away."

It awed her. Everything about Uchiha Mikoto left Sakura feeling nothing but awe and warmth. They'd had discussions, sure, but never like this. It was so rare for her to speak to Sakura about something so close to her heart. Her boys. Both of her sons (Shisui, too), were Mikoto's greatest weaknesses. It was as clear as day that she would protect them all with her life.

The smile lasted a couple of more moments before softening. "That's what made me accept you. That look in your eyes. You truly care for my son, don't you?"

Sakura nodded. "I do."

"And I can tell he cares for you, also. That is why I fought against Fugaku as hard as I did to get him here, despite how dangerous it could be."

Their surnames made it much more dangerous for them than it did for her and Sakura still couldn't find the words to express how thankful she was for all of Mikoto's efforts.

The shower suddenly switched off and at the sound of it, Mikoto stood up and smiled down at Sakura. "Goodnight, Sakura-chan."

"Goodnight, Mikoto-san. And thank you for helping Sasuke out."

There was a pause as the older woman regarded her, watching her eyes, before that smile returned and she did the very last thing Sakura expected her to do.

She poked her forehead.

"I will see you both in the morning."

With that, she left, leaving Sakura to sit there and rub her forehead with a pout.

She was seriously beginning to consider that the whole forehead tapping thing was just an Uchiha thing. It was the only way to explain it, right? From what little she could remember of when they were kids, Itachi used to tap Sasuke's forehead all the time and then suddenly, Sasuke began poking hers. And now Mikoto! Of all people to poke her forehead, _Sasuke's mother_ did it. Maybe it was an affectionate thing? Sakura wondered as the bathroom door opened silently. There was no hiding the softness in each of their eyes whenever they did it.

"Sakura."

Turning in her seat, she tilted her head to the side. The sight of him had her pausing, however. He was still wet from his shower and completely shirtless, leaving Sakura fighting hard to keep from staring. "Yeah?"

"Are you hungry? I forgot to order food."

She shook her head. "Not really, no."

He nodded and dumped the towel he had been using into a hamper, soon joining her on the sofa. There was silence for quite a while as they watched the television but despite their eyes being on it, they did not focus on anything that was shown. All they could think about was how close they were sitting. All they could focus on was keeping their breathing even and their hearts from beating so loudly that it caught the attention of the other. Oddly, the couple found themselves feeling a little self conscious, like they didn't know how to handle themselves.

It wasn't until he turned his head to the side that Sakura broke her staring competition with the large television, catching his eyes and smiling sheepishly.

The smile wasn't returned, but the way his eyes softened spoke volumes.

"You're not watching it either."

He hadn't said it as a question, but Sakura shook her head anyway. "No."

"I'm going to turn it off, then."

Her eyes never left him as Sasuke stood up and made his way over to the television, switching it off. It made sense to do so, really. In Suna, there were certain laws that you were not to waste water, electricity or gas. Out in the desert it was obviously more difficult to get those supplies therefore they were treated like luxuries in some parts of Suna.

When he sat down once more, Sakura sat before him with her legs folded beneath her, but as his silent order, she slowly parted her thighs, allowing him to move just that little bit closer. And it seemed Sasuke understood that she wasn't entirely comfortable, because he didn't push her to do more. Instead he leaned forward, his hands resting on her thighs and drawing soothing patterns on them, as he kissed her softly, leaning back ever so slightly as Sakura began to lean in.

While his hands continued to rest on her thighs, one of hers pressed to the side of his face, tilting it downwards so she would have better access and the other rested on his shoulder. It was more so she didn't topple over and on top of him than a caress, but Sasuke didn't seem to particularly mind.

It was when one of his hands raised to her face, angling it a certain way, that Sakura gasped and grasped a tighter hold of his shoulder, for Sasuke also moved his kisses from her lips, travelling down the length of her throat. It was no secret to him that neck kisses were her weakness but right at that moment in time, she didn't care for trying to get him back.

Oh, how she had missed making out with Sasuke. She'd missed the softness of his lips, the heat that radiated from his body and that feeling in the pit of her stomach that always made itself known whenever he touched her. Nobody had ever been able to gain such a reaction out of her and Sakura felt herself welcoming the contact, trying to bring him closer.

She didn't know how or when it happened, but only moments later and she was laying back on the sofa with Sasuke on top of her, their kisses much more heated and eager. Their hands restlessly felt the other's body, tugging and stroking and grasping tightly, like they simply just couldn't get enough of one another. That wouldn't surprise her in the least. And when Sasuke rolled his hips into her, it was instinctual the way Sakura moved with him, breathing out shaky sighs against his lips.

"Do you want to move to the bed?" he whispered, his lips brushing against hers.

If they did that, then there was no going back.

She would be losing her virginity and…

And Sakura was okay with that.

Wordlessly, after Sakura had nodded, he reluctantly pulled away, though reached out for her, guiding his girlfriend over to the bed and switching out the lights as he did so. The only lights that remained on where the ones that focused around the bed and at her insistence, Sasuke shut the curtains, also.

The earlier nervousness Sakura had felt was like nothing compared to the feeling that plagued her when Sasuke lifted her nightshirt up and over her head, carelessly tossing it to the ground. And since it was bedtime, she hadn't put her bra back on. It made her feel so completely exposed but at the same time, Sakura enjoyed the reaction she got from Sasuke. It wasn't much, but the way his eyes flashed said more than enough.

Slowly, he leaned forward, lowering her onto the bed and as his mouth and tongue moved with hers, his hand stroked its way up her body, gently massaging her breast once it reached that destination. Compared to the skin of her breast, his hand was rough, though it didn't cause her any displeasure. If anything it caused the exact opposite and Sakura bit her lip and shut her eyes as his lips moved to her neck.

She wasn't sure how long they were there for, making out while he caressed and massaged her breasts, but soon enough, his lips were continuing on their path down her body, utterly stunning Sakura when he began to kiss her breasts. And as she was distracted with his ministrations, Sasuke's hand slipped between them, firmly rubbing her through her underwear.

Remembering that his parents were only next door, Sakura tried her best to keep quiet. There was no telling what they would think if they heard her moaning. Was there even a lock on their door? What if they walked in?

Somehow, that turned her on even more.

Sakura parted her thighs further for her boyfriend, lifting her legs until they were bent at the knees and as soon as she did, Sasuke was shifting up again, kissing her heatedly and moving his hands to her hips, guiding her into a steady rock against his erection. It had her gripping him tightly in an effort to bring him closer, gasping and sighing into his ear.

His lips pulled away from hers and Sasuke pressed his forehead against hers. The look in his eyes was far more intense than she was used to, but Sakura did not complain about it. She liked that his entire attention was on her, that he was thinking of nothing but her.

"Are you wet?"

Her breathing stopped and her entire face was suddenly blushing a bright red. How the hell could he ask her something like that? Didn't he realise how crude that was? How–

Dirty talk.

This time, Sakura was blushing out of embarrassment. How was she even supposed to reply to that? "Check… for me," she replied lamely after a moment of thinking about it and internally, she cringed at herself.

It seemed to be the words he was looking for, however, because Sasuke was suddenly tugging at her pyjama pants and Sakura put up no fight when he sat up onto his knees, pulling them down her legs and tossing them aside. It made her heart pound in her chest and even though her instincts were telling her to close her legs, to cover herself, she didn't. They were going to do this and if they were, then it would be done properly. Not a quick, meaningless romp in the dark, but the exact opposite.

"You're wet," Sasuke whispered to her, his fingers playing around the insides of her thighs.

His voice sounded much deeper than usual but at the same time, it was softer, barely even a whisper that was being breathed into her ear. It made goosebumps break out across her skin. She decided at that moment in time that she herself didn't like talking dirty. However, Sakura certainly didn't mind it when Sasuke did.

Her eyes slid shut when he slipped a finger inside of her and just like their night together before she left, Sasuke was gentle with her. The kisses that littered along her jaw, neck and ear were soft, tender and the way he stroked within her was just as soft and gentle. It was enough to help Sakura relax further and she showed that by turning his head in her direction and kissing him again, stroking his tongue with her own. The kiss seemed to have a much larger effect on him than it did her, however, because Sasuke grunted into the kiss and another finger joined the first.

Much too soon, in her opinion, he pulled away, leaving one last kiss against her lips before he pulled himself to his knees.

"Are you sure, Sakura?"

The sound of his voice sent shivers down her spine.

When she nodded, Sakura could only watch as Sasuke got out of the bed and made his way over to his bag, shuffling through it until he pulled out a box that had her already red cheeks, reddening further. Condoms. It was a good job that he had remembered, because it had totally slipped her mind, much to her horror. That could never happen. Sakura knew she couldn't force Sasuke to be the one who always worried about protection.

On his way back to the bed, he opened the box and pulled out a packet, placing the box on the bedside table once he had. There was a pause when he knelt down in front of her again, one where he ripped open the packet. It made her swallow hard. This was really happening, wasn't it? She and Sasuke were about to have sex.

The thought solidified as he pushed his pants down over his hips and slipped the condom on, regarding the sight for a moment like it was completely foreign to him (and Sakura seriously hoped that it _was_). The sight baffled her just as much, but her body was demanding to be filled and Sakura could almost feel her pulse throughout her entire body.

She helped him fully remove his sweatpants when he lowered himself onto her once more and like with her own pyjamas, they were thrown to the floor.

However, it was nothing like she had been expecting. Nothing like the romance novels or the steamy movies. It was clumsy and even a little awkward when Sasuke thrust into her. Of course, Sakura felt the spark that had always been between them, the one that made her believe with all her heart that Sasuke was her other half, but right now just…

Her nails scraped over his back, features contorted with a mixture of pain and pleasure. She couldn't decide which one was more dominate than the other. He was clearly enjoying himself, if the grunt that suddenly escaped his lips meant anything, but Sakura could not agree – not entirely. She had mixed feelings about it. Yes, part of her was enjoying the act, the feeling of his skin brushing against hers, his hips knocking into hers, but she also felt awkward. What did that mean?

A hand gripped her thigh tightly, forcing it higher until it was around his hips, her other joining it. And in that moment, Sakura realised what Sasuke was doing, for he hit a certain spot within her and the pain she could feel dulled. His thrusts were still a little out of time, but that no longer mattered as he picked up his pace, hitting that same spot repeatedly.

But just as she felt that heat in her stomach coiling, Sasuke tensed against her, his hips moving slowly a final two times before a strained groan left his lips and he trembled.

Sakura could only stare at the ceiling as he rolled over and collapsed backwards onto the bed, panting hard. So… That was it? What about all those books she had read, where sex lasted hours and the girl always reached orgasm, too? Sometimes multiple orgasms! Were they just make believe? That couldn't have been any longer than a minute.

Just as Sakura opened her mouth, about to turn and say something to Sasuke, he shifted on the bed, hovering over her again and a second later, she felt his fingers entering her once more, bringing back that flash of heat she had felt moments before, that coil.

He wasn't leaving her behind? Leaving her unsatisfied?

Lips brushed against her ear, whispering hot, sensual words. And in response a moan tore out of her, her back arched and her hips bucked, all telling Sasuke that she enjoyed hearing him talk so dirty into her ear. She really did. His voice was low, husky and deep, his breath washing over her and sending shivers down her spine. It wasn't long until her hips were rocking, squirming against his fingers, until her eyes were squeezing shut as something suddenly slammed into her.

Sasuke's eyes flashed at the sight before him, watching as Sakura threw her head back and cried out, her hips bucking more harshly into his hand, back arching elegantly and forcing her breasts to rise. His lips descended to them, adding to her pleasure with his lips, tongue and teeth. He could hear Sakura moaning and panting his name and he could feel her hand suddenly gripping his hair tightly, her other leaving more scratches down his pale back.

She didn't really think he would leave her behind, did she? There was nothing more embarrassing than being unable to bring your partner to orgasm. Sure, Sasuke was aware that he could use the excuse that this was his first time (Itachi had warned him it wouldn't last long, after all), but why would he do that? He may as well admit that he had lost control and gave into the sensations of being inside of her. That was basically what had happened. Sasuke had planned on holding on, on making sure she also reached orgasm, but his body had had other ideas. So, after catching his breath, he had turned around and made sure she reached orgasm.

After all, it was her first time, too.

Only when her orgasm was over did Sasuke pull his fingers away, brushing a final kiss to her collarbone. She was trembling beneath him and her features were warm, filled with pleasure and satisfaction. Good. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel like her first time was shit.

"Next time will be better," he whispered to her, stroking her face tenderly. "It'll last longer–"

Sakura cut him off with a tender smile. "It was amazing."

Really? The look on her face told him that she truly meant it. Did she really think that it had been amazing, even though it lasted less than a minute? Thanks to Itachi's advice and warnings, Sasuke knew not to let it bother him and although part of him _was_ embarrassed about how long he lasted, he wasn't mortified like he knew he would have been without the advice.

Knowing that Sakura had enjoyed herself, however…

It took away all negative feelings he had and allowed him to relax completely against her. Sasuke pulled away and stood up after a few minutes, though, to remove the condom and switch the lights off. As soon as he was done with that, he was joining Sakura once more and being welcomed into a sleepy, warm embrace.

* * *

"Oh!"

Sakura pulled the covers up and over her head, barely holding back her squeal of pure terror as Mikoto and Fugaku entered the room. They stopped abruptly at the sight and smell of Sasuke's hotel room, exchanging a single glance with one another.

Like Sakura had, Sasuke fixed the sheets over himself more firmly to make sure nothing was on show, feeling incredibly annoyed with their intrusion. It was rude to just barge into somebody's bedroom. His mother had been the one to tell him that many times while growing up. Did that rule not apply to them? He was eighteen years old after all–

He was eighteen years old now.

It was his birthday.

"We…" Mikoto's voice trailed off before she forced herself to get a grip. "We came to ask you both if you would like to join us for breakfast, but we can see that you're busy. Make sure you eat something soon, however." Just as they reached the door, Mikoto glanced over her shoulder and smiled softly at her youngest son. "Happy birthday, Sasuke."

Fugaku nodded once. "Happy birthday, son."

The anger he felt towards them faded away and Sasuke gave them a small smile. How could he be mad at them when they were only looking out for him? Sasuke knew he would rather have them all over him than ignoring him. "Thanks."

"Your mother and I will be taking you out for dinner tonight," Fugaku informed Sasuke. "Make sure you are both decent."

Of course there was no "would you like to join us" or anything of the sort. His father was a blunt man, after all.

"I have left you one of our cards, Sasuke." Mikoto smiled at her son. "And I want the both of you to go and buy yourselves an outfit for dinner tonight. No arguments."

Sakura tensed beneath the sheets and slowly, she lifted them from over her head, though held them firmly to her chest, frowning up at the woman. "Mikoto-san, you really don't have to–"

"I want to, Sakura-chan." Her smile warmed and the blush on Sakura's cheek deepened. "You are very dear to our Sasuke, therefore you are dear to us. I enjoy spoiling those who are dear to me."

With that, the two left.

Sakura fell back against the bed and covered her face, trying to cool her boiling skin. She ignored Sasuke's chuckle and she ignored him when he shifted over her. Oh, she just knew he would be smirking at her. After all, it took a lot to make a girl such as her nervous or embarrassed and he enjoyed every single moment that she was. Jerk. But…

When he finally managed to pry her hands away from her face, Sakura couldn't help but smile softly at him. Last night… They had given each other their virginities. And to wake up with Sasuke was just… There were no words to describe how it made her feel.

"Happy birthday, Sasuke."

* * *

**A/N - I decided to update so soon because of all your lovely and kind reviews! I also got this finished in only a few hours. It was originally going to be around 15,000-20,000 words, but I know that some people find it difficult to read so much in one sitting. That means in the next chapter, no time will have passed and they'll still be in the hotel room, if that makes any sense. You'll see what I mean when I next decide to update for you all!**

**Okay so, as some of you may already know, I finished _Bruised, Broken &amp; Healed_. That means I'll be posting another story with my next updates! So, which one would you like to read next?**

**1) SasuSaku - Discoveries.**

Prequel to _They Never Knew._ Summary: Before all of the drama and the pain, before all of the confusion and the heartbreak, there had been them. Just them. And they had been happy.

**2) ItaSaku - Who Said Anything About Love?**

Summary: Itachi, however, was unknown. She didn't know a single thing about the man, other than the fact he was Sasuke's older brother and was part of the special forces in the military. Yes, he was intriguing and like every other woman did so, Sakura found him attractive, but he was still, in a way, scary. No, scary was the wrong word to use. More like intimidating. Enough to make her wary around him, like a hesitant animal trying to decide whether or not a new object or other animal was a friend, and not a foe.

**3) ItaSaku - Saviour**

Summary: Her first encounter with him was when she was just twelve years old, on a mission gone wrong. He saved her team. Since then, Sakura had crossed paths with him a handful of times and each time, he seemed to be protecting her. Who was this man? What did he want with her?

**Just tell me in your review. Also, you don't have to read _They Never Knew_ and _Until It Was Too Late_ to understand _Discoveries_! Just thought I'd make that clear.**


	19. Happy Birthday

**Chapter 19 – Happy Birthday**

"You know…"

Sakura blushed at the look in his eyes and hesitantly, she shifted her hips. There was no pain like she had been expecting there to be. Sure, it was a little sore, but it wasn't agonising or something that would hinder her ability to do…

Well…

"They're going to leave us alone for most of the day now," Sasuke murmured against her lips. "And we have a few hours before we need to go shopping."

The idea of Mikoto buying her a new outfit was pleasant, but still kind of uncomfortable. How could she expect her boyfriend's mother to buy her an entire outfit? Didn't that make her seem a bit… Sakura couldn't even think of the word and as she realised that, she realised that she was worrying about how others viewed her again. That needed to stop.

"Okay," she whispered in return.

It felt like only moments later that she was ready and Sasuke was reaching for the condoms, impatiently ripping the packet open and slipping it on. Before he entered her, however, he sat up and pulled Sakura onto his lap, making her breath catch in her throat as she wrapped her legs around him. It was intimate, but it also meant that she was on top. What if she was no good at it? What if she couldn't please him?

But then he was entering her and those thoughts slowly slipped away, leaving Sakura to cling to him as Sasuke guided her into a steady rock.

"Can I be a little rougher?" he breathed against her lips and at her dizzy nod of consent, he tightened his hold on her hips.

He grunted as he met her halfway in a thrust that left her gasping out a shaky, quiet moan, her sound of pleasure drowned out by the crude, wet slapping sound. It made both of their blushes deepen and when Sasuke tilted his head back, Sakura immediately crushed her lips to his, going along with the new pace he set by moving her hips more harshly against his.

It definitely brought her pleasure. Already, her legs were beginning to tremble and her insides were clenching tightly, a clear sign that Sakura was close and Sasuke couldn't help but moan into the kiss at the thought of it. He was determined to bring her to orgasm this time, even though his own pleasure was spiking and it was taking everything to keep just the smallest amount of control.

One of Sakura's hands buried itself into his hair and her back arched, head tilting backwards, allowing Sasuke to litter kisses along her neck and collarbone, nipping lightly at her jaw. And then, much to her surprise, words she hadn't been expecting in the slightest left Sasuke's lips as his hips moved faster against hers and his voice was strained, almost desperate.

"I love you. I love you." A deep groan and he brought her down harder on him. "I love you." Another groan. Another thrust. "I'm in love with you."

He didn't give her the chance to reply and neither did her body because she suddenly snapped and orgasm claimed her, taking away her sight and hearing. All Sakura could do was feel and repeat those words in her mind, over and over and over until her heart was pounding loudly and beating so fast that she was certain it was about to shoot straight out of her chest.

Sasuke loved her.

"Don't hold back," he groaned into her throat when he felt Sakura's hold loosening. "Cling to me tighter."

Only vaguely registering those words, Sakura leaned forward and rested against him, her nails digging harshly into his back as cry after cry of pleasure left her. Her orgasm felt so very different than it had last night. Was it because he was inside of her this time? Was it because he had told her that he loved her? Honestly, Sakura had always believed that she would be the one to first say those three words.

Her orgasm brought forth his own and when they finally collapsed against each other, just about able to hold themselves up in their sitting position, Sakura whispered those three words back to him.

"I love you."

* * *

It was well into the morning when they woke up again. Sasuke offered her his usual arrogant smirk, making her blush and look away in an almost shy gesture. The sight was so very endearing to him and Sasuke was extremely glad that he was in Suna, despite the blistering heat.

But as they shopped to find outfits for that night, he found that he was disliking Suna more by the minute. Many of the men watched his girlfriend, eyeing her up since she stood out like a sore thumb and it made his possessive side continuously growl in anger, though that side almost began purring whenever Sakura held his hand, or sent him discreet glances or smiled up at him. They were smiles she saved only for him. They were looks she saved only for him.

Last night was… He held back the urge to shake his head as they entered the hotel room once more. Earlier that morning was just as great, too.

It seemed that, while they were gone, somebody had cleaned up for them. There were clean sheets on the bed and the bin not too far from it had been emptied. The air also smelled more fresh but it was obvious no windows had been opened due to the fact there was no sand blown across his hotel room.

But that didn't matter at that moment in time.

He had had sex with Sakura.

Twice.

Sasuke watched as she placed her bags down onto the sofa and stretched, his eyes moving over her body hungrily, greedily taking in each and every detail about her. His girlfriend, in his opinion, was amazing. There was no comparing to her. Sakura was somebody Sasuke knew he would never grow tired of because so many things about her kept her unpredictable. It kept him guessing.

Just as she turned and smiled, Sasuke grabbed her wrist and yanked her against him, barely giving Sakura the time to react before he was kissing her. It was not the kiss she had been expecting, however. Sakura had been expecting a raw, passionate kiss, one that had her toes curling and left her whimpering with pleasure and wanting more. This kiss was soft and tender, it was gentle and affectionate and with every slow brush of his lips, Sakura found herself very much preferring this kiss to the other.

"Say it again."

She smiled, blushing ever so slightly. "I love you."

Releasing her lip after nibbling on it, he whispered, "Again."

"I love you."

Smiling, he backed her up to the bed, watching her with a softened expression.

Sakura's smile widened and she couldn't help but giggle when Sasuke lowered her onto the bed, never letting go of her for a second. "I love you, Uchiha Sasuke."

* * *

"It seems dinner is cancelled."

Sakura bit her lip and glanced down at the ground, not daring to look at the angered expression on Fugaku's features.

Why?

Outdoors, lightning flashed and a loud crack of thunder suddenly boomed through the air.

Thunderstorms weren't unusual in the desert due to the low water vapour in the air. In fact, there were quite a few thunderstorms so Sakura was no longer frightened by them. The only times they frightened her was if the storm cut the power, which meant being left in the dark. That had only happened once and already knowing of her fear, Gaara had immediately made his way to her room with a couple of torches, staying with her until the power was back on.

"We could always get a table downstairs," Mikoto offered. "It would be a shame to waste our efforts."

Fugaku sighed and it was safe to say that he was unhappy about the mere thought of sitting in the restaurant belonging to the hotel they were staying in. It was mainly because of where he had originally booked Sasuke's birthday dinner (a completely over the top restaurant where only the rich and famous dined), but also because of his pride. He disliked the thought of lowering himself so much.

It was only when his mother looked to him that Sasuke spoke up, holding back his own sigh, "I don't mind, Father."

"Nonsense," he muttered, turning around. "We will go to the restaurant I have already booked a table at."

Even though she knew it was incredibly rude, the second Fugaku made a step towards the door, Sakura spoke up. "We can't do that, Fugaku-san. It's too dangerous to go out during a storm in Suna. The storm picks up all of the sand, making it more or less impossible to travel safely. Many have blindly wandered out into the desert and not all of them made it back."

Mikoto agreed wholeheartedly, putting a hand on her husband's shoulder to gain his attention. "Please, Fugaku. Sakura-chan has been here for well over a month now, so she will be used to these storms. We, on the other hand, are not used to them in the slightest. The storms in Konoha are nothing compared to this."

And at her words, there was another flash of lightning followed by more booming thunder. Not for the first time, Fugaku sighed and something in Mikoto's eyes softened at his expression and words. Since his back was to them, however, she and Sasuke couldn't see the expression on his face.

"It is our youngest son's eighteenth birthday, Mikoto. We should be celebrating properly."

"Yes, but think of what Sasuke wants," she murmured quietly in return. "All our son really wants is to spend time with his family, friends and Sakura-chan. Where we dine doesn't matter to him. Right, Sasuke?"

He nodded once when his father glanced over at him. "It's true, Father."

"I suppose we can always go somewhere else once we are back in Konoha. That way, Itachi and Shisui can join us," Fugaku muttered thoughtfully before he nodded once. "I will go and inform the staff that we will be eating here."

Of course there would be no asking if there were any tables available. Nope, not with Uchiha Fugaku. Instead he would demand to be given the best table in the restaurant, even if it meant throwing out whoever was already sat there. That was simply the kind of guy that he was.

"You both look very mature." Mikoto smiled when Fugaku left. "And that colour really suits you, Sakura-chan."

She blushed at the compliment and glanced down at her dress. Knowing that they would be going somewhere fancy, Sakura had asked Sasuke to help her pick out a dress that wouldn't make her stand out amongst all the rich and famous people. It was reluctantly that he helped her, but she noticed that Sasuke kept her style in mind. Even though they went to an expensive store (with a name she couldn't even pronounce), Sasuke still managed to find something that fit with her personality, something that wouldn't look odd in her wardrobe.

The crimson dress was knee length and clung to her body, making her curves more obvious and Sakura knew she looked good because Sasuke hadn't been able to keep his hands off her. Sure, he'd been like that before she put the dress on, but now he refused to let go of her. At that moment in time, his arm was around her waist, keeping her close. The gesture was comforting and soothing so she didn't complain. Also, the dress was sleeveless and because of that, they'd had to find a suitable bra, one that would help her keep the dress up. Due to being properly fitted, it wasn't entirely necessary. However, Sakura liked that it actually looked as though she had breasts.

As for Sasuke, much to her surprise and delight, he was wearing a navy tuxedo. Had Sakura ever mentioned how beautiful her boyfriend looked in a tux? No? Well he did. It had just the right amount of tightness that it made his slightly broad shoulders and chest obvious, yet not overly so. Oh and then there was his arms. When he pushed the sleeves of his shirt up or removed the jacket, they looked large and inviting and it made Sakura want to throw herself at him.

What he had done with his hair had her melting on the inside, too. It also made her wonder just why the hell she was getting so worked up over his appearance all of a sudden. She'd always known that her boyfriend was beautiful, hadn't she? So why was she kicking up such a big fuss? But… His hair! Instead of leaving it as he usually did, he combed it back, giving it a slightly wet look. It should have looked ridiculous, but it didn't. It suited him.

Her own hair was left down and due to it having grown, it now reached her breasts and was slightly thicker than she usually liked, which was why she had pinned a few strands back into a clip that matched her dress.

If Sakura was being completely honest, she would say that she enjoyed being pampered the way she had been today. However, part of her still knew not to get used to such treatment. It would be wrong to do so. Not only would it be wrong to accept the Uchiha family's money so easily, but it would also be an insult to her own mother who couldn't give her all of those fancy things. Accepting them from somebody else's parents? It definitely didn't look good.

"Our table will most likely be ready shortly," the woman suddenly told them both. "Make sure you are downstairs in five minutes."

They nodded and watched as Mikoto followed after her husband. It was probably to make sure he didn't cause any trouble more than anything, but still. Sakura appreciated the privacy it gave to them, even if it was only for five minutes.

Tomorrow afternoon, Sasuke would be going home and it pained her. It meant that it would be time to go back to the real world. The hospital. The loneliness. Homesickness. It would all come creeping back on her. Sure, Sakura knew that she had Gaara, Temari and Kankuro to help out with the loneliness, but none of them were Sasuke or her mother. She loved them all, but they were completely different people and none of them could be compared.

Apparently Sasuke was thinking the same thing as she was because he suddenly reached out for her and pulled Sakura against him, kissing the top of her head. It was no longer rare for him to show any affection towards her and she was grateful for that. As out of character for him as it probably seemed, it made Sakura feel special. She was the only one he acted that way with.

"We will stay awake all night." It wasn't a question or an offer. Sasuke was stating it. "And I'll order as much room service as possible to keep us going all night."

Sakura sighed and shut her eyes. "It's not just about sex, Sasuke."

"I meant to stay awake." He smirked against her hair. "But it's nice to know you immediately think of having sex with me."

"Sasuke…"

Hearing the serious tone in her voice made his smirk widen. "I can have all the food we need to keep us awake brought to the room. And if it helps with keeping your mind clean, then we can sit in front of television all night. We can watch whatever you want."

Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully and her own smirk pulled at her lips. "Anything I want?"

"Within reason, of course."

"What's off limits?"

"That romance bullshit."

"Please, Sasuke?" Her voice had a slight lilt to it. "This new movie just came out and I–"

"If it's the one I'm thinking of, then your mind won't stay clean for long." Sasuke leaned in closer, slowly backing her up until she was against the wall. "It's supposed to be nothing but sex."

Instead of reacting in the way she knew he was expecting her to, Sakura instead raised a challenging eyebrow. "I won't be able to keep my mind clean, or _you_ won't?"

It had him pausing, watching her with a new intensity. "Shall we find out?"

She bit her lip, knowing that it would make him want to kiss her and just as Sasuke leaned in to do so, Sakura turned her head to the side, smirking when his lips brushed against her cheek. His huff of amusement only made her feel even more amused.

"It's been five minutes, Sasuke."

"I suppose it has," he murmured and reluctantly pulled away.

* * *

Even Fugaku couldn't complain about the quality of their meals. Of course, he still believed that they shouldn't be eating where they were staying (which Sakura still couldn't understand and Sasuke simply didn't have the patience or the energy to explain it to her), but the way Mikoto smirked as she asked him how he was finding his dinner made it clear that he was enjoying the food.

And apparently Sasuke was trying to get her back for teasing him because halfway through the dinner, he did something that she'd seen only a thousand times in movies: grabbed her thigh underneath the table.

Okay, so 'grabbed' sounded pretty aggressive, but Sakura couldn't think of any better word to use. It was kind of like he held onto it, though every now and then he tightened his hold – almost like a massage, actually. Oh, it was great entertainment hearing and seeing his reactions when Sasuke realised he wasn't really affecting her. It wasn't that he _didn't_ affect her, it was more like she refused to show it just to wind her boyfriend up. And later that night, once they returned to his hotel room, Sakura decided it was her turn to do a little more teasing.

So far, she'd been getting changed in the bathroom. Sasuke had commented on it once, saying he'd seen her completely naked already so there was no need to change in another room, but it felt strange getting changed in front of him. It was hard to explain. There was a difference between him undressing her before they had sex and then changing in front of him.

Anyway! Back to the teasing part. Just for tonight, Sakura decided to ignore the strange fluttering in her stomach and got changed in front of him, pretending that she didn't notice him in the slightest and when Sakura was clad in only her underwear, she suddenly turned to glance over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow at her boyfriend.

"Is something wrong, Sasuke?"

Inwardly, she smirked when he could only shake his head. As much as he tried to hide it, her dear Sasuke was practically overrun with hormones. Already, she could see that he had an erection. It never really took much to get him going, though, so Sakura didn't count it as a victory.

Turning back around, she slowly inched her underwear down her hips and shook them slightly until the piece of clothing fell to the ground, where it was then kicked under her pile of clothing.

"Sakura…"

There wasn't even the time to feel surprised as Sasuke appeared behind her and gripped her hips, pulling her back against him.

"Stop teasing me."

For a brief second one of his hands disappeared, reaching into his pocket and when Sakura heard the rustling of a packet, she knew exactly what it was. Just that morning they had decided that he should carry one in his pocket as a _just in case_. Since their first time, it was like they couldn't get enough of each other. Everything that was said or done, was arousing in some way or another.

Nervousness was eating away at her, however, making Sakura glance over her shoulder with anxious eyes. "F-From…?"

He nodded and kissed the back of her neck. "Please, Sakura," Sasuke whispered, kissing her once more. "Can I?"

So far they had only had sex in two positions: the ordinary missionary position and while sitting up. The thought of trying something different was both exciting and a little scary, if you asked her. If they did it in the position Sasuke was wordlessly asking for them to have sex in, then–

Then nothing.

_Stop worrying about what others think, damn it!_

After her nod of consent, Sasuke unbuttoned his pants, allowing them to drop to the ground and as soon as they (and his underwear) were out of the way, he was ripping open the packet and slipping the condom on. The entire time it felt like both of them were on fire, almost desperate to be connected. It was like since having sex the first time, they couldn't get enough of it. They couldn't get enough of the feeling of being joined in such a way.

Slowly, ever so tortuously slowly, Sasuke pushed himself inside of her, pushing Sakura against the sofa at the same time. He felt deeper than before, she realised with a gasp of pleasure. Was that because of their position? Sakura didn't have long to think about it because Sasuke was suddenly moving, gripping hold of her tightly and slamming his hips against hers, quickly building up speed. She barely had the chance to grab hold of something, to try and steady herself before he was groaning and tensing, a clear indication that he was close.

It didn't bother her. Part of Sakura had known that she wouldn't reach orgasm in such a position. If the sensations were all heightened for her, how boosted were they for Sasuke? They were still new to this, after all. He had yet to build up stamina.

Sasuke leaned over her, grunting into her ear as he thrust into her a final time, making Sakura's knees grow weak and her eyes slip shut when he began to grind his hips upwards into hers. The friction it created was unbelievable.

"Sorry," he breathed into her neck once he was done.

Sakura couldn't help but smile as Sasuke held onto her gently, pressing kiss after kiss along her neck. The kisses didn't stop there, however. They continued down her spine and as they did, Sasuke's hands stroked their way up and down her sides, softly caressing her.

And Sakura's breath caught, her entire body tensing, when she felt his lips pressing to the very bottom of her spine.

"Sasuke–"

"I want to make it up to you," Sasuke whispered as he knelt, his hands keeping her hips against the sofa. "I've been told that this always makes a girl orgasm."

Who the hell told him that? Naruto, probably, since he was a pervert and lived with an even bigger one. Sakura's breathing was shaky, her hands gripping the sofa in an unyielding, fierce hold and her eyes were much wider than usual. "Let me shower first, I–"

"You don't need to."

"We just had sex! It's not clean–"

"I'll be the judge of that."

And then his lips were pressing against her most intimate area and Sakura felt all arguments leaving her. No, it wasn't extremely pleasurable and no, it didn't make her orgasm on the spot, but it was definitely a new sensation. Something about it… Something about it had her wanting more, wanting to experience more of the unusual pleasure.

At Sasuke's silent order, she leaned further over the back of the sofa, hands pressing down into the cushions as her stomach rested on the back of it. It wasn't entirely comfortable, but it was easy to ignore, especially as Sasuke added more pressure.

Soon, though, even with his ministrations, Sakura found it impossible to ignore the now painful feeling in her stomach. "Can we move to the bed?"

Reluctantly he pulled away, but surprised his girlfriend greatly by making his way around the sofa and pulling her down onto it, lowering her until she was laying on her back with her legs spread wide.

"Are you comfortable now?"

All Sakura had to do was nod.

It was definitely better when she was laying down, she decided as her head tilted back and her hand found its way into Sasuke's hair. Now that the pressure against her stomach was gone, she was able to focus more on the movements being made and it also seemed Sasuke was finding it easier, too.

There was no more hesitancy. He moved without uncertainty, with more confidence and when he did, Sakura was unable to even think straight. He added his tongue to the mix, slowly teasing her with it until his fingers filled her and made her sight blur, made her quietly cry out as her back arched up off the sofa. There was no longer the ability to focus on the weird feeling of his tongue pressing against her – not anymore. It was much too… distracting.

The hand that wasn't doing much began to stroke her thigh, drawing small patterns and it took Sakura a few moments to notice that Sasuke was making the same patterns with his tongue.

"S-Sasuke…" her voice came out as nothing more than a breathy whisper.

He knew what was happening. She could feel his smirk.

And as her body relaxed and tensed all at the same time, as wave after wave of delicious pleasure slammed into her, taking her away from reality, Sakura tried her best to stay quiet, biting her lip and tightening her hold on Sasuke's hair. Her other arm was thrown over her face until his free hand reached up and tugged it down, wanting to see her expression. Sakura was too focused on the pleasure to care, however.

When he pulled away and shifted over her, Sasuke's smirk remained and daringly, despite the fact she was still fighting for breath, he kissed her softly, affectionately and paused in stroking his tongue along hers, allowing Sakura to taste herself on his tongue. Apparently she wasn't complaining because she tugged him closer, kissing her boyfriend more heatedly.

"Wait…" he groaned against her lips. "The condoms are by the bed."

It was too risky to have sex without them and even though Sakura wanted nothing more than to feel him inside her once more, she was not so lost in the moment to forget about protection.

Fortunately, Sasuke was quick as he hopped over the sofa and grabbed the box of condoms, bringing the sheet covering their bed with him on his way back. It was just in case they did actually fall asleep and his parents walked in again like they had earlier that day.

* * *

It wasn't long until the collapsed against each other, panting hard and trying their best to calm their racing hearts and trembling bodies.

They were still determined to stay awake all night, even if it meant being completely exhausted the following day.

So for the rest of the night, Sakura remained laying in Sasuke's arms as they lazily watched the horror channel together and she couldn't help but smile when he ran his fingers up and down her spine, sending shiver after shiver through her body. In return, she pressed the occasional kiss against his collarbone or neck, each time going just a little bit higher until she was kissing him chastely, enjoying how he responded with the same tenderness.

Earlier that day they'd made a silent agreement not to talk about his leaving until Sasuke was _actually_ leaving, mainly because they both knew how much it would upset Sakura. As hard as she tried to act and seem tough, they knew that that wasn't always the case. In fact, Sasuke had never met anybody who was as emotional as Sakura, but he definitely wasn't complaining. It made him feel a strange sense of achievement simply knowing that he'd cracked that hard, seemingly impenetrable shell of hers. It brought forward a fierce emotion within him, one that demanded he protected and cherished her.

She would be returning to Konoha in over a month and Sakura was counting down the days. Funny how, this time last summer, she'd been unable to contain her excitement about going to Suna and spending the entire summer there, but now wished for anything but. Suna just wasn't the place for her. It was as simple as that, really. Not just because of the inescapable heat (because Sakura liked to think she was growing used to it), but because of that overwhelming homesickness that made her want to crawl into a corner and cry _all the freaking time_.

There was no getting used to that feeling and honestly, she didn't want to. Being in Suna – or anywhere at all – was fine, but only for a short while. Not for such a long period of time like she currently was. It was unbearable being away from the people she loved. They were so precious to her and it was like a sickening weight would settle in her stomach when she was away from them.

"Have you decided yet?"

His chest expanded with the deep breath Sasuke took and when he breathed out, her scalp tickled. "Yes."

Sakura couldn't even deny that her heart began to pound and slowly, almost hesitantly, she lifted herself onto her elbows, staring down at him with a wary expression. "And?"

"Kumo is a good college."

Her heart shattered.

"But it's not the place for me."

And then she slapped his arm, glaring at him angrily. "You did that dramatic pause on purpose, you jerk!"

Sasuke chuckled and grabbed her wrist just as Sakura went to hit him again, watching her with amusement. "It's nice to know you were so worried about my decision."

"Of course I was! I just…" She frowned and lowered herself onto him again, closing her eyes. "My choice didn't influence yours, did it? The last thing I want is for you to decline opportunities because of me."

He sighed this time and wrapped his arms around her, holding her comfortingly. "It didn't. Sure, it was a small push in my decision making, but it wasn't what made my mind up." A pause and during it, Sasuke ran one of his hands through her hair. "I don't like the thought of being hundreds, possibly even thousands, of miles away from everyone. Not only that, but I've seen the college in Konoha. Kumo can't compare, even though it _is_ a good college."

This was the side of Sasuke that Sakura loved the most. With her, he was so open and caring. It probably seemed so out of character for him but when they were alone, it so wasn't. And Sakura _loved_ it. She loved _him_.

"We're going to be in Konoha together," Sakura whispered after a few moments and a damn near impossible to ignore excited feeling bubbled within her. "No long distance."

Sasuke couldn't help but smile at her. Seeing such happiness on her face… It made him feel so light, like there was nothing at all that he had to worry about or focus on. "I know."

"You live quite far from the college, though," she commented lightly. "You'd have to set off pretty early to avoid traffic."

He nodded, seeming unconcerned. "For his first year in college, Itachi attended the one in Konoha before transferring when he found he disliked the college." At Sakura's frown and realising she had no idea where he was going with the turn of conversation, he gave her a small smile and continued, "To avoid the traffic and having to drive every day, he got an apartment not too far from the college. Our parents paid for it, believing it would be a good thing that he would be taking care of himself."

Her eyes widened a fraction. "Which means they'd do the same for you."

"Yeah."

"Won't that be lonely, though?" She frowned, taking his hand in hers and holding it gently. "Living by yourself?" There was a pause as he stared at her, one that lasted long enough to make her uncomfortable and one of Sakura's hands released his, rubbing her face self consciously. "What is it? Do I have something on my face?"

"No," Sasuke murmured and grabbed the hand rubbing her face, pulling it down to his chest so that he could see her eyes. "I was thinking about what you just said."

"…And?"

Another pause. Another intense look. "How would you feel about moving in with me? If I get the apartment, that is."

This time, it was Sakura who took a long pause before replying. She kind of felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her. Was Sasuke really asking that she moved in with him? Her own home wasn't too far from the college since it was fairly close to the town centre, but since Sasuke lived in one of those huge mansions that had hardly any neighbours, his home was miles from the college. Moving in with Sasuke would be…

Crazy, maybe?

Would they be able to handle being around each other so much? They'd only been together for eight months. Were they moving too fast? They were both eighteen years old now, so Sakura believed they were old enough to make such a choice, but would their parents accept it? What about her own mother? Would she feel abandoned if she moved out?

Back in Konoha, while in school, it was safe to say that they spent a great deal of their time together, so it wouldn't be too much of a change, but living together? Sharing a bed every night. Eating together. Taking turns in the bathroom. Taking turns with the cleaning, or doing it together. His side of the bed and hers. Her wardrobe and his. Their own cups to hold their toothbrushes and their own–

"Yes."

The answer slipped out without her even realising but Sakura did not regret it.

"I want that."

She wanted all of that with Sasuke.

* * *

"You called him again?"

Sasuke nodded silently, keeping her close to him. "You said you wanted to watch the plane leave. I can't let you travel all the way back to his place alone."

"I'm not completely defenceless, you know." Sakura sighed but there was no annoyance or anger in her voice or tone. There was just quiet acceptance of what her boyfriend had done. "But thank you."

Knowing Sakura the way he did, Sasuke knew that it was a good thing to contact Sabaku Gaara. That way, there would be somebody there to comfort her when he left. She had told him a lot about her best friend, so Sasuke knew not to feel possessive or paranoid around the redhead. Like Naruto was Sasuke's best friend, it just so happened that Gaara was hers. Gender didn't really matter to them.

Standing a few feet away from them to give the couple privacy, Gaara picked up Sakura's weekend bag and placed it over his shoulder, keeping an eye on his surroundings. The bag looked fairly expensive and it was common knowledge that thieves thrived in busy crowds.

"I'm really glad you came here," Sakura told him quietly with a smile. "Even though I know I'm going to miss you even more now."

So soppy. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. "You're only going to miss the sex."

"Don't say it _here_!" she hissed and slapped his arm. "What if somebody heard you? What if your parents heard you?"

"They already know we're having sex." His smirk remained in place even though Sasuke was currently holding back the urge to rub his now throbbing arm. The blush on her cheeks made it worth it. "They walked in on us the morning after, remember?"

"Don't remind me," she groaned and covered her face with her hands. "I'm still embarrassed about it."

"Don't be," Sasuke murmured and grabbed her hands to pull them away from her face. "As long as we're being safe then they don't care. We're both eighteen, after all. It's legal."

That was true, but it was still uncomfortable having his parents aware of the fact they were having sex. Not only that, but they walked in on them. "I suppose…"

"_The flight to Konoha is now boarding_."

Tuning out the speaker, Sakura looked up at her boyfriend sadly. Her words hadn't been an exaggeration. After their weekend, she was going to miss him so much more than before. It already hurt to say goodbye to him. But Sakura had promised Sasuke that she wouldn't let their distance distract her from making a good impression at the hospital. No, she was going to work twice as hard and count down the days until she returned to Konoha.

And then Sasuke surprised her greatly by cupping her face and kissing her. Softly at first, just a tender brush of his lips until the kiss became more desperate, more heated. It turned into a kiss that had her panting for breath, that had her head swimming from lack of oxygen and her hands shaking with the urge to run them through his hair. It felt like Sasuke was everywhere all at once as he held onto her tightly, his lips moving against hers with such intensity that it made Sakura feel weak.

So this was a goodbye kiss.

It was beautifully painful.

They only separated when they heard somebody clearing their throat but even then, Sasuke paid them no attention to his father and instead pressed his forehead to hers, breathing against her lips, "I'll speak to them on the plane."

She nodded, understanding clearly. "I love you."

Sasuke kissed her one last time, his lips lingering on hers. "I love you."

* * *

"Come on," Gaara sighed and put his arm over her shoulders, pulling Sakura into his side as he guided her out of the airport. "It won't be long until you're home."

She smiled sadly, trying her best to hold back the need to cry. Why were goodbyes so painful? "Until _we're_ home, you mean."

He glanced down at her, uncaring of the strange looks he was receiving due to carrying a woman's bag, and smiled at her softened expression. This weekend had been good for Sakura, much to his happiness. Already the stress he had seen growing in her eyes had lessened considerably and there was more colour to her cheeks. It no longer looked as though she was about to snap with–

Gaara's eyes widened at the large love bite he could spot sticking out beneath the collar of her shirt.

"That–"

Quickly, Sakura tugged on her shirt, already knowing what was there. It was a little gift from her boyfriend. Sure, he understood that nothing would ever happen between her and Gaara, but he still liked to make it known that she was his.

Strangely enough, the thought made her stomach flutter.

"Don't say a word!" she warned him with narrowed eyes and kept her arm around Gaara's waist. The last thing she needed was for her best friend, her support, to leave her to walk alone. "What happened this weekend–"

"_What happened this weekend_?"

There was one thing that should always be kept in mind when dealing with Sabaku Gaara:

He was extremely protective of his best friend.

* * *

**A/N - So sorry I didn't update last week! I've been really busy helping out at this charity shop and today is the only day I'll be able to update. So, even though it's my birthday and quite early in the morning, I decided to post for you all!**

**Oh and more good news...**

**I GOT INTO THE COLLEGE!**

**Bit of bad news, though! Once again, my files on my laptop have been damaged and I've lost quite a lot of my stories. I've tried rewriting this chapter, but I honestly don't think it's as good as the original one. Also, the next few chapters are also missing so it may take me a while to post them!**


	20. Look Who's Home!

**Chapter 20 – Look Who's Home!**

"How are you feeling, Sakura?"

Glancing up at the old woman, she offered her a smile. "I'm actually kind of sad to be leaving."

It probably seemed like such a turnaround, considering her thoughts only a month ago. However, thanks to Sasuke's visit and his nightly video chats since then, Sakura had thrown herself into work at the hospital (sometimes even falling asleep while talking to him). She got to know the patients, mostly the children and whenever possible, she spent some time with them just before starting or leaving.

It was sad because she would miss those patients. She would miss the staff. She would miss Chiyo.

Sakura never really knew her own grandmother, but she liked to think that Chiyo was the perfect example of a good grandmother. Whenever the girl looked exhausted or stressed, Chiyo would tell Sakura to take a break. Whenever she was distressed, again, she would be told to take a break. After the break, Chiyo would find Sakura and ask her how she was feeling and whether or not the break was any good. Then, they would sit down and have a chat until Chiyo was needed somewhere.

Yeah, the person Sakura was going to miss the most was definitely Chiyo.

"Well, I expect to hear nothing but good things about you," Chiyo told her sternly but there was a gentle look in her dark eyes. "And I hope you surpass that old drunk soon."

She had learned that it was best not to respond to those kinds of words. Tsunade was just as bad for them, as well.

"I'm going to work my hardest," Sakura assured her with a smile. "And with Tsunade-sama guiding me, I'm certain that I'm going to do this."

Chiyo smiled softly and nodded once. "Even though I don't like the woman, there is no denying that Tsunade is a great doctor."

There had been many conversations between herself and Tsunade. At first, Sakura had had difficulty speaking to the blonde without being intimidated or fan-girling over the fact she was speaking with _the_ legendary Tsunade. It was safe to say that Tsunade had knocked that right out of her and even though there were definitely still times when Sakura was intimidated by her, it wasn't nearly as much as before.

She and Gaara would be leaving for Konoha in the early hours of the morning. It had been a joint decision to leave as soon as she completed her summer programme, as they both wanted to be back in Konoha as soon as possible. They wanted to see their friends and spend the last few weeks of the summer together.

Tsunade wouldn't be travelling with them, however. No, she said that she had a few more things to straighten out before she left Suna, though would definitely be getting the flight after theirs.

Everything of hers at the Sabaku home had been packed the night before except for a couple of outfits and her scrubs for the hospital. So that she wasn't rifling through everything at the last minute, Kankuro had kindly handed over one of his old t-shirts for her to sleep in. All that was really left to pack were the last of her clothes and then she could leave. Gaara, on the other hand, had been packed for quite a while now.

There were many things that he would be leaving behind, including a great deal of his clothes. Apparently they were more suited for Suna's weather and harsh temperature, so there was no point in taking them to Konoha with him. That way, should he ever return to Suna to visit his siblings, he would have clothes there already and wouldn't have to carry much.

That also meant that, once they returned to Konoha, Sakura would be taking him shopping. There was no talking her out of it, either, like Gaara had tried to do. He tried to tell her that he could just buy his clothes online, to which she had scoffed and shaken her head. Most of the time, those clothes had to be returned due to being too big or too small, or looking nothing like their picture. And her best friend was at such an awkward size.

"Well," Chiyo suddenly spoke up as they reached the doors that would take them outside, "I guess this will be the last time I see you for a while."

The thought had her heart clenching, but Sakura didn't show her pain and instead smiled. "I'll be coming to visit you at some point. Maybe I could even help out here again?"

Her words brought a smile to the old woman's face. "Of course you can. It was an honour to have you here, shadowing me."

An honour? Sakura's breathing almost stopped and before she could even stop herself, she was all but lunging forward and tackling Chiyo into a tight embrace, unable to hide her grin of happiness. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Chiyo-baasama," Sakura told her earnestly. "Thank you for your kindness. And thank you for looking after me!"

After a moment, Chiyo returned the young girl's hold, her features softening with affection. It had been quite a while since anybody had hugged her.

"Your friend is here, Sakura," she told her after a few seconds.

Reluctantly, Sakura pulled away, though her smile remained in place. "I'll see you soon, Chiyo-baasama!"

"Make sure you have plenty of stories to tell me."

She grinned. "Of course!"

The old woman watched as Sakura turned and darted out of the hospital, almost jumping on the redhead waiting for her by the wall. He muttered to her in response, saying words that Chiyo couldn't really make out, but she knew that he thought fondly of her. The expression on Sabaku Gaara's face was one that wasn't there every day. His eyes held a softness for his friend and it made her smile. It was good to see such a look on his face, especially after all the torment that family had been through.

"You're getting soft, you old hag."

The warmth on Chiyo's face remained, not cracking for a second and her eyes never left the youngsters' backs as they walked away. "As are you, you drunk. It's not every day that you take on an apprentice. The only one to ever study under you was Shizune, if I'm not mistaken and that was many years ago now."

Tsunade huffed and leaned against the wall by Chiyo's side, following her eyes as she folded her arms over her ample chest. "The girl's talented. I want to make sure that talent and potential isn't wasted."

"More like she reminds you of yourself."

Minutely, honey brown eyes narrowed.

Finally, Chiyo turned her head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "Take care of her in Konoha, Tsunade."

Again, the blonde huffed and rolled her eyes. "Is your old age getting to you already? What a stupid thing to say! Of course I'll take care of Sakura."

The warmth left Chiyo's features and she regarded Tsunade seriously, her eyes narrowing a fraction. "You know what I mean."

"Did her mother contact you again?"

"Yes. Apparently Sakura's father is growing more agitated. He's still demanding to know where Sakura has gone, but her mother is refusing to tell him anything."

"This is her time," Tsunade muttered, her own eyes narrowing. "If that man knows what's good for him, he won't dare to approach my student."

* * *

"I don't see why you dislike planes so much."

Rolling her eyes, Sakura shifted in her seat, tugging on her maxi dress to make sure there would be no wrinkles when she stood up. It was new and a gift from Temari, who said they had to somehow repay Sakura for being such a good friend to Gaara over the years (because they all knew it was no easy task). Of course, naturally, she tried to politely decline, but there was no saying no to a woman like Temari.

It was a beautiful dress, in her honest opinion and it reminded her of Suna. The entire thing was loose on her, meaning it was incredibly comfortable, though it wasn't loose enough to look stupid. In fact, Sakura believed it kind of made her figure look a lot more appealing than it actually was. It was held up by simple, thin straps over her shoulders with a stringed belted waist, making her breasts look a little bigger due to the bagginess of the chest area (and her favourite new bra). The patterned design was what Sakura loved most about the dress. She wasn't entirely sure what the pattern was supposed to be, but she loved all of the different colours and shapes. To go with the dress, she was wearing a pair of white espadrille wedge sandals (another gift from the siblings).

"I don't like sitting still for so long," Sakura huffed before taking a sip of her water. "Other than that, I'm fine with flying." Deciding to change the subject, she suddenly smiled up at him. "You're finally coming home."

Even though Gaara knew Sakura was changing the subject – and terribly at that – he still returned her smile. He already felt so much lighter, like a huge weight was off his shoulders.

"Are you anxious?"

He frowned. "Why would I be?"

At this, Sakura also frowned. "Well… You wanted to keep it a secret, so it's going to be a huge surprise for everyone. Not to mention that thing with Matsuri–"

"Matsuri means nothing to me," Gaara cut her off, narrowing his eyes. "She's nothing but a nuisance. Now that I'm gone and she knows that I have left, she'll stop trying to break out of the hospital."

"How can you be so sure?" she couldn't help but hiss, wary of others hearing them. "You told her you're moving to Konoha!"

The look Gaara gave her was blank, like he was contemplating her intelligence. "Matsuri is in the hospital, Sakura. She has no passport and everyone in Suna knows who she is. There isn't a chance of her boarding a plane, let alone flying all the way to Konoha."

Since they were flying back much earlier than her tickets were booked for, they'd had to buy new tickets. That was a painful experience, one she didn't even want to go into detail about. Long story short: they were now in first class and she owed Gaara a lot of money, even though he refused to accept any of her money. She'll find a way to pay him back somehow.

There was sense in his statement, also. Security checks in Suna's airport were a hell of a lot more extreme than the ones in Konoha's, which worried her slightly. Were they the ones who were lacking? Or was Suna just a bit over the top and dramatic? Either way, Sakura had heard that the crime rate in Suna was a lot lower than that of Konoha. But that didn't mean they didn't have their problems. The kidnappings or attempted kidnappings said it all.

After their discussion, the journey back to Konoha seemed to fly by, passing a lot more quickly than the journey to Suna. It had Sakura feeling giddy and unable to sit still, making Gaara roll his eyes and smirk every now and then. He could feel her excitement too, although he didn't show it. Instead he sat back and closed his eyes, passing Sakura one of the earphones so that they could listen to music together.

By the time they landed, Sakura was shaking him awake, surprising him with the fact he'd fallen asleep in the first place.

"We're here," she told him with a smile.

Once more, they went through security checks before waiting somewhat patiently for their luggage. Because of how much they had between them, Gaara managed to get hold of a cart, one that would be able to carry all of their belongings and it took a matter of seconds to load it.

He was the one who pushed the cart through the packed airport, trying his best to ignore the urge to just ram it into the ignorant people who refused to move out of his way. Couldn't they see that he was unable to find another route? Ignorant bastards! But even they couldn't shove Gaara out of his good mood and when they caught sight of a familiar face, one who was smiling brightly and waving at them both, he easily ignored the others and their ignorance.

"Mom!" Sakura grinned, running straight into her mother's arms and holding onto her tightly.

The embrace was returned just as strongly, with Mebuki rubbing her daughter's back and kissing her forehead affectionately. "I've missed you more than you'll ever know, Sakura." She sighed, kissing the top of her head. "It's so lonely in that apartment without you."

Her words had Sakura biting on the inside of her cheek. It seemed now would not be the time to discuss her possibly moving in with Sasuke, then. She would have to warm her mother to the idea, first. The last thing Sakura wanted was to make Mebuki feel as though she was being pushed out or abandoned. She knew Sasuke would understand.

"I missed you, too."

Speaking of her boyfriend…

"Where's Sasuke?" Sakura suddenly asked as she released her mother and looked around in confusion.

"He's busy, I'm afraid," Mebuki told her with a small smile. "Where you expecting him to be here?"

She nodded and like only moments before, Sakura was biting the inside of her cheek, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. "He promised he'd be here."

Where was he that was so important?

* * *

Only Mebuki knew of Gaara's return to Konoha before it actually happened. Everyone else (other than his siblings, of course) were left in the dark.

And it seemed that her mother had gone all out to welcome him back because when they left the airport, they didn't go to a taxi shelter like they usually would have done. No, Mebuki guided them through the car park and towards a car she had rented for the day. It wasn't anything grand, but it certainly made it a lot easier than lugging everything around with them.

That wasn't all. She also treated them to dinner, taking them to a fairly fancy restaurant and allowing the pair to order whatever they wanted. When Sakura asked what was going on, all her mother had done was smile and say that it was her treat. Something wasn't adding up, however. It wasn't the money that was an issue. Less food would have been bought in Sakura's absence and less electricity and gas would have been used, which obviously meant money was saved. There was also no spending money that was needed because of an allowance the hospital provided her with and the fact Gaara continuously treated her to everything.

No, it was the pauses. It was the deliberate delay in replies. Whenever Sakura brought up her friends or Sasuke, Mebuki would tense for a split second before forcing a smile and answering. It put her on edge and she knew she wasn't being paranoid. Gaara also picked up on the hesitancy, causing him to frown minutely every now and again.

"Have you heard from Uchiha Sasuke at all?"

Again, another pause and when Mebuki answered Gaara's question, her reply was slow and carefully thought out, "Not really. I've seen him around a few times, but that's all."

Seen him around? What did that mean? Sasuke wouldn't have gone to the apartment – not without Sakura being there because he found sitting alone with her mother awkward at times, simply because they had nothing to discuss. So where would Mebuki have seen Sasuke?

Was she overthinking again? Sakura had learned to trust Sasuke a lot over the past few months. She had given him her virginity, so of course she trusted him! But… There was a horrible twisting in her gut, one that was making her feel sicker by the minute until Sakura could barely even glance at the food on the table without it nearly bringing all she had eaten back up.

There was only one way to get rid of the retched feeling in her stomach and as Sakura excused herself, she grabbed her clutch bag and made her way outside, saying she needed some fresh air. Once outside, she immediately rifled through her bag, pulled out her phone and went straight to the most recent contact. It seemed to ring forever, going on and on and on and why the hell wasn't he answering and–

"_Sakura_."

The thundering in her chest only increased and Sakura couldn't help but frown at the sound of his voice. He sounded annoyed, but why? Had she done something to upset him? "Hey, Sasuke. I'm back!" She tried her best to smile, but it was shaky and her voice was no better. "You must have forgotten–"

"_I didn't forget,_" he cut her off, sounding distracted. "_I'm too busy to meet you today_."

Her heart sunk.

"…Oh." It felt like she wanted to cry. Why was he suddenly being so blunt and distant with her? "Well… I guess I'll see you around, then?"

"_Yeah_."

He hung up without another word.

Clutching the phone tightly in her hand, Sakura fell back against the wall, biting on her lower lip as she did so. What the hell was that about? Sasuke had been fine with her last week and every week before that. When had the change happened? Recently, obviously. How had he seemed when they last saw each other in person? Intense to say the least. Sasuke had kissed her like he was never going to see her again, like–

A goodbye kiss.

It had been a goodbye kiss.

Sure, they had been saying goodbye anyway, but what if it meant more than that? What if Sasuke was saying goodbye to their relationship, too?

The anger that was always present within herself flared to life and her hold tightened on her phone. It took an insane amount of willpower to stop the urge of flinging her phone across the road, knowing that it wouldn't survive the fall and would most likely damage somebody's car. The last thing she needed at that moment in time was some kind of bill. It would be all Sasuke's fault anyway.

But why would he go through so much trouble to make her trust him? Sakura didn't want to think badly of him, really she didn't, but just because she had forgiven him it didn't mean she had forgotten how badly he'd hurt her in the past. That pain was impossible to forget.

There was no explanation in her mind as to why Sasuke was suddenly being so… off with her. The last time they saw each other at the airport, after their weekend together in Suna, Sasuke hadn't been different in the slightest. Well, except for his slight possessive nature. Then again that wasn't too out of character for him, because Sasuke liked to make it known that she was his.

Was he hers, though?

That particular thought had Sakura freezing in her place, had her eyes widening in horror and fear.

It had been the pessimistic side of herself, a side every person had. _What if Sasuke was with someone else_? It would explain why he seemed annoyed with answering the phone. It would explain why he sounded distracted and hung up without saying 'I love you' or 'I miss you' or anything else affectionate. Even Uchiha Sasuke made it known how important she was to him.

If Sasuke was seeing somebody else…

Tears filled her eyes but they weren't tears of sadness. They were tears of anger. The anger went beyond anything she'd ever experienced before, exploding to such a great height that it completely skipped over her usual outbursts and went straight to tears. It just proved how much she was hurting, too.

If Uchiha Sasuke had hurt her again, if he _was_ seeing somebody else behind her back, then Sakura would never forgive him. No, scratch that. She would hurt him the way he hurt her. Not by being with somebody else and making herself seem like a trashy whore, but by hurting him physically. Already she had proven to be stronger than he anticipated and if she were to attack when he was least expecting it–

A hand grabbing her shoulder jolted Sakura out of her dark thoughts, making her take a deep, shaky breath when she realised just how dark they'd been getting.

No. No matter how badly Sasuke hurt her, she couldn't hurt him back.

She wasn't her father.

She refused to be like that man.

"Your mother asked me to check on you."

She smiled weakly at Gaara. "Go back inside, I'll be–"

"Don't even think about lying to me." He rolled his eyes and leaned beside her on the wall. "You tried to contact Uchiha." At Sakura's shaky nod, he sighed. "And?"

"And… Nothing. He's too busy to meet me today."

Gaara couldn't help but sigh at the sight of his best friend. "You have never let anyone upset you this much before."

"That's because this is different," she snapped in return, waving her phone at him. "Sasuke's my boyfriend, Gaara! He's my boyfriend and he promised me that he'd be there to meet me at the airport."

Again, he sighed. There was no use in trying to enter a shouting match with Sakura for two reasons. First: they were in a public area and would attract way too much attention for his liking. Second: her voice was capable of going so much louder than his own, easily drowning him out. There was no use in entering a shouting match with her because Sakura's lungs were much larger and her vocal chords were much louder. She would always win.

"What did he say?"

"It's not _what_ he said," Sakura muttered and glared up at the cloudless blue sky. It was a beautiful day, a hot one, but nowhere near as hot as Suna. She was thankful for that. Being able to wear other colours and not having to worry about sweat patches was something to be grateful for. "It's _how_ he said it. Sasuke sounded so… distant and annoyed with me."

It was clear that it was really bothering her, Gaara thought as he looked away. Seeing such raw pain and confusion on her features was something he'd never enjoy seeing. The fear that was there was just as disgusting, in his eyes. Haruno Sakura was not one to fear somebody. She feared the dark and her father, sure, but with good reason. She did not fear anybody or anything else.

Except for losing Sasuke, apparently.

Why he meant so much to her, Gaara would never know. In his personal opinion, she could do so much better than an arrogant and spoilt brat such as Uchiha. Then again, he was her best friend and he was incredibly protective of her. Wasn't he supposed to think that way? Wasn't he supposed to believe that nobody would ever be good enough for her and should they even think of hurting her, he was supposed to intervene and protect her? Gaara wasn't so sure.

Other than Sakura, he had very little friends and other than Hinata, they were all males. They could all defend themselves. Not that Gaara was saying the two girls were damsels in distress, it was just that urge within himself to protect them both. He had seen them at their most vulnerable, when they seemed so fragile and lonely and scared. Of course he'd want to protect them.

"Was he different with you when you last saw him?"

She shook her head. "Not really, no."

There was a pause as Gaara turned his head to look at her. "…What about after you had sex with him?"

Like he had been expecting, Sakura's eyebrow began to twitch and he knew that her anger was growing swiftly by the second. Thankfully, she didn't release that anger and instead took a deep breath, answering in a somewhat calm voice, "No."

It was the truth, too. After they'd had sex, Sasuke had treated her the same way he had before they'd done it. That was why she was so confused and annoyed. His sudden coldness had come out of nowhere and Sakura had no idea what to do with herself. Did she try to talk to him again? Did she give him space? _What did she do_?

Closing her eyes and taking another deep breath, Sakura pushed away from the wall and turned in the direction of the entrance. "I'm not going to let him bother me. My mom's gone through so much trouble and I'm not letting him ruin my day."

He smirked and followed without another word.

That was the Haruno Sakura he knew.

The one who took shit from nobody.

* * *

Sakura grumbled to herself as she dragged her suitcases towards their apartment. The elevator was not to be used for a few hours for some ridiculous reason and because of that, they'd been forced to take the stairs. Altogether, there were five suitcases and all of them were huge.

Her hands were aching!

It was her own damned fault for packing so much, really. She hadn't even worn half of the stuff she'd taken to Suna because after the first two weeks, they'd handed her a set of scrubs which was to be her uniform. They hadn't been flattering in the least and probably made her look like a child playing dress up, but it could have been worse, she supposed.

When they finally reached their floor, Sakura almost cheered and she knew the two behind her felt the same way. Gaara was carrying his two suitcases and didn't appear to be all that tired or in pain. She was also carrying two of her suitcases and her mother was pulling along Sakura's biggest suitcase. Due to her own hands being full, Mebuki was the one who opened the door and was the first one to enter the apartment, leaving the suitcase by the front door. Sakura and Gaara followed her example, leaving the other suitcases there.

Following her mother and actually groaning with relief as she rubbed her poor abused hands, Sakura all but screamed when she entered the living room.

"_Welcome home_!"

Welcome home.

She blinked in stunned surprise, glancing around the living room. All Sakura could do was stare as her heart continued to pound away in her chest.

All of her friends were there, smiling brightly and the living room had changed completely, set out so that they could all fit in the room comfortably. The sofas had been pulled back and the beds that were inside them were out in the open, covered in thick duvets and pillows and on the coffee table between those sofa beds were snacks upon snacks. There was even more in the kitchen, Sakura realised after a few moments.

And something that stood out from everything else?

Sasuke.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto frowned and took a step forward.

But just as he did, Sakura smiled and held a hand up, forcing him to stop and once he had, she spoke. "I have a surprise of my own." Her smile widened as she glanced behind her, watching Gaara as he moved towards the living room and when he was in view, she grabbed his arm and continued. "Look who's home!"

Silence.

And then Naruto and Rock Lee were cheering loudly, approaching Gaara faster than the redhead could even blink. They didn't give him the chance to take a single breath before they were throwing question after question at him, demanding to know how long he was staying for and whether or not he would be going to the dojo during that time.

Hinata looked torn for a moment as she looked between Sakura and Gaara. It was only when Sakura chuckled and gestured to Gaara that she moved forward, not really believing her eyes but so very happy their friend was home.

Sasuke was silent as he watched her, unable to mask his frown at the look in her green eyes.

Her anger was still there. However, now that she knew Sasuke had been busy because of her surprise welcome home party, the anger wasn't as great. In fact, it was barely even there at all. But that didn't mean she had forgiven him for the way he spoke to her earlier that day, because it had been a long time since she'd felt like she was annoyance to him.

Without saying a word, she turned around and walked towards her bedroom. She knew that he was following her because Sakura could feel his presence right behind her, close enough that he could touch her if he wanted to. He didn't. Even when they were in her bedroom and the door was shut, Sasuke did not touch her. Instead he watched as she placed her bag onto her bed and faced him.

"Sasuke–"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Tell him? "What?"

"About Sabaku," he muttered and his eyebrows knitted together. "Why didn't you tell me you were bringing him back with you?"

Was that really what was bothering him? Forget the fact he'd spoken to her like she was absolutely worthless earlier. Forget the fact that he'd made her feel like she was annoying and only an inch tall. No, what really mattered was that her friend (who had been so depressed living in his home town) had come home with her and she hadn't told Sasuke about it.

Stopping herself from actually scowling at her boyfriend was difficult. "It was a surprise."

"For me?" asked Sasuke sarcastically. "No, I didn't think so. It's not like I would have told everyone else, Sakura. You could have told me."

"Why are you so bothered by him?" The aggravation did not escape his attention. "Before you left Suna, you were fine with my friendship with Gaara. What's changed in a month?"

"The fact that you've turned up with him, holding his hand!"

Like his suddenly had, Sakura felt her voice rising more than heard it. "I was holding his _arm_ to drag him in front of everyone!"

Sasuke watched her for a moment, his eyes narrowed and expression serious before that anger faded out of him quicker than it had appeared, leaving him to sigh and shut his eyes. "Sakura–"

"What's your problem?" she demanded angrily, her fists shaking. "First you speak to me like I'm a piece of shit and now you're getting angry because I'm friends with a guy–"

He didn't allow her to continue. Instead he grabbed her wrist and yanked her against him, holding her tightly even when Sakura tried to break out of his hold.

"I missed you."

"Don't try sweet talking your way out of this, Uchiha Sasuke!" Sakura snapped. She wanted nothing more than to melt into his embrace, but… "You made me feel so… annoying."

Without opening his eyes, Sasuke kissed the top of her head. "It was supposed to be a surprise."

The party? Sakura frowned and pulled back to see his features, her frown deepening when his eyes opened. "Are you saying you planned the surprise party?"

Sasuke smirked. "It was Naruto's idea. Hinata said I should be in charge of what we do, since I know you best."

Which was why the living room looked the way it did and not like a real party. Her eyes widened before they softened. "A movie night."

He nodded. "I wanted to be there to welcome you home," Sasuke murmured and raised his hand, stroking the back of her neck. He would have rather run his fingers through her hair, but Sakura had thrown it up into a messy bun. "But Naruto thought that you would like this surprise more."

She didn't want to tell him that Naruto was wrong. It seemed like so much thought had gone into the surprise party and now she felt absolutely vile for thinking the worst of her boyfriend. Why had she even thought that something was going on? Her gut instinct could always be wrong.

"I'm sorry." Sakura offered him a small smile. "Flying makes me grumpy and when you didn't turn up and my mom said you were too busy…" She shook her head. "I just got upset."

Like he would ever be too busy for Sakura. "So how long is he here for?"

Sakura couldn't help but roll her eyes. This again? He already knew that he had nothing to worry about. Her friendship with Gaara was just that – a friendship. Nothing romantic was going on or would ever go on.

Then again, just an hour ago, she had been worried about Sasuke having somebody else, too. Was it just natural to feel possessive? There was no denying that he was somebody who was precious to her and there was also no denying that he was one of the best things to have ever happened to her. Of course she would be worried about his presence suddenly disappearing. However, she needed to have more faith in her boyfriend.

"Did you speak to your parents?"

For a moment, he seemed confused and a little annoyed that Sakura had avoided his question, but then the reminder of what he was supposed to ask his parents pushed all anger and possessiveness aside. "Yeah."

"…And?" she pushed, unhappy with the pause.

"And they have agreed."

She squealed with obvious excitement and hugged him tightly.

* * *

**A/N - I've had a few complaints (mostly guest accounts) about my slow updates. Usually, I update once a week but I've been taking a break in between updates. There's a few reasons for that and I feel like I owe you all an explanation, even though other writers on here don't update for months at a time, or sometimes even years.**

**The first is that last month, I was diagnosed with depression and I've been sleeping most of the day and unable to get out of bed, which basically means I haven't been writing as much, so I've had nothing to update with. I like to think the antidepressants are working, but meh. I'm still exhausted most of the time and nearly always restless and irritable.**

**The next reason is that my nephew, who is only two months and eight days old, stayed with us recently. I don't think I need to explain why I haven't gotten much done with him around, right?**

**My final reason is that a close family friend died the other week. I'm not going to go into full detail, but he was an ex of my older sister's and even when they broke up, he was still there for our family and still looked out for us all. If we ever needed anything, anything at all, then he was there. And he was there for a lot of bad things, always supporting us and taking our side.**

**I don't know when I'll next be updating, but I'll try to keep up with the weekly updates.**


	21. It's Getting Worse

**Chapter 21 – It's Getting Worse**

"Come on!" Sakura rolled her eyes. "It's not _that_ scary."

They were all sat on the sofas and to make more room for the others, she was sitting in front of Sasuke, between his parted legs. It was a lot more comfortable than it sounded and the feeling of his arms around her, holding her gently, was an indescribable feeling. It helped her relax greatly.

"How can you say that, Sakura-san?" Hinata gasped as somebody on the movie was decapitated. "Violence is always scary. Random violence is just as bad."

That was Hinata for you. Soft and gentle and a pacifist. She disliked violence greatly and wouldn't even harm a bug. It was definitely something Sakura admired about her. Hinata was like her complete opposite and was able to calm her down most of the time.

"Attacks that are well calculated are never random," Gaara murmured.

Sakura didn't bother to reply as she got stuck into the bowl of popcorn laying on her lap, pausing for a moment to allow Sasuke to get some. He didn't really care for sweets or anything of the sort, but she knew that he didn't mind the odd snack here and there.

Beside them sat Naruto and Hinata and on the other sofa was Lee and Gaara. According to Sasuke, Hinata and Naruto were still not an item, which disappointed her beyond belief and she knew that she would have to try and set the pair up somehow. As for her mother, Mebuki had gone for a bath before leaving for her night shift. It was a last minute shift because one of the women had apparently collapsed and nobody else was available.

Even though she'd liked to have spent more time with her mother, Sakura didn't mind too much. She had her friends with her and the problem with Sasuke had been sorted. When they all left, she would be able to spend time with Mebuki alone, which seemed better in her eyes. The thought of her mother sitting with them all was a bit strange.

Besides, her mother had plenty of friends at the diner! Despite the late nights, Mebuki never truly complained because she got on so well with the other employees and even the customers.

"Man, I'm so glad you're here for college," Naruto said for what felt like the hundredth time. "What're you going to be studying?"

"Martial arts."

"You can study that?" exclaimed the blond as he jumped up from his seat, ignoring Sakura as she saved her popcorn before it toppled over. "Since when?"

Lee couldn't help but laugh at his expression. "For a while now, Naruto-kun. It is what I am currently studying, also."

"Shit," he groaned and dropped back down into his seat. "Why did nobody tell me that?"

"Gai-sensei mentioned it many times at the dojo," Lee told him, clearly feeling sorry for his friend. "There are also posters in the entrance to advertise the course."

Much to Hinata's surprise, Naruto looked for comfort from her, placing his head on her shoulder and pouting miserably. Hesitantly, she patted his hand which was resting on his thigh. "Perhaps you could transfer?" she offered with a hopeful smile.

He sighed sadly. "Will I even be able to do that now?"

"Of course," Sasuke muttered as he shifted slightly and leaned back, allowing Sakura to do so as well. Their reclined position was much more comfortable for him. "You'll probably have to contact the college soon, though."

They hadn't even enrolled yet, so it was still a possibility for him. Enrolment day wasn't until next week and then in just over a month, they would be starting college. It was quite scary, really and it made her feel rather grown up. No more high school. No more–

Wait, what was the difference again? There would still be lockers and textbooks. There would still be lessons and teachers and bitchy girls and horny guys and–

"What about you, Sakura-san?" Lee asked.

Thankful that her attention had been taken away from whatever the hell her thoughts had just been, she smiled at him. "Tsunade-sama came to the hospital in Suna while I was there." Understanding how big of a deal it was, Hinata gasped and sat up, smiling proudly at Sakura. "She asked me to be her apprentice."

Silence.

"Hell yeah," Naruto yelled loudly and was once more on his feet, jumping on the bed. "I knew that old woman would love you!"

What?

Sasuke scowled over the top of Sakura's head and unsurprisingly, Gaara joined him with glaring at Naruto.

"What did you do, Naruto?"

But the blond was too hyped up to hear the warning in their voices as he continued bouncing, as he dragged Hinata onto her feet and had her bouncing with him. She tried her best to stop, to sit down and warn him about possibly breaking the sofa bed, however, her words were also ignored.

"Tsunade-baa-chan is an old friend of ero-sennin's!" He grinned, keeping a tight hold of Hinata. "She came by to see us not long after you left and I told her all about you."

So that was where Tsunade had found out about her. "But she told me that Iruka-sensei said–"

"Oh, she went to see him after I told her about you to make sure I wasn't making it all up," explained Naruto and after a second, he jumped down off of the bed, grabbing Hinata's waist and setting her onto the ground, too. Sakura inwardly winced as she imagined the complaints her mother would be receiving from downstairs when she returned. "We're going to go and get something to celebrate with!"

Something to celebrate with? Sakura growled at the way Naruto was handling Hinata. He was making her seem like a porcelain doll, one he could fit in his pocket whenever he liked. Then again, Hinata didn't seem to be complaining. If anything she looked quite content with the attention. She had probably grown used to it over the summer and Sakura made a mental note to get all the details. The two had definitely grown closer. A lot closer.

Lee frowned ever so slightly. He didn't want to burst Naruto's bubble, but he felt somebody had to say something. "You will not be served for alcohol, Naruto-kun."

"No…" His voice had a lilt to it as Naruto's grin widened. "But _you_ will! You have your I.D, bushy-brows."

His words only troubled Lee further. "Naruto-kun, I–"

"There is no way in _hell_ that Lee-san is drinking alcohol," Sakura snapped as she leaped up and grabbed Naruto's ear, yanking him down to her height so that they would be eye level. "The last time he had a drink, it took Gai-sensei, Neji-san and myself to restrain him. Even with Sasuke and Gaara here, Lee-san is way too much to handle when he's had a drink."

Naruto scratched the back of his head, trying to ignore the painful sensation of his ear almost being pulled off. It wasn't impossible, but it still hurt like a bitch and the pain only increased with every slight tug. "Oh yeah. I forgot about that."

"Exactly," she growled, finally releasing him. "And I, for one, won't be having anything to drink. It won't be fair to leave Lee-san out like that."

He sighed dejectedly before offering a small smile. "Sorry, Sakura-chan. I didn't think about it like that."

"I also can't drink, Naruto-kun," said Hinata softly. "My father doesn't approve of it."

"He doesn't approve of me, either." Naruto smirked wickedly at her. "But you still hang out with me."

Despite the raging blush on her cheeks and the fact that her trembling hands were fidgeting madly with the other, Hinata smiled. "That is because you're my friend."

Friend? Was that all? Sakura pouted up at Sasuke, but he merely rolled his eyes at her expression. Something had to be done, she decided. Not only for Hinata, but for Naruto, too. It seemed her description of their relationship bugged him. He was looking at her rather intently, enough so that it made her fidgeting grow as well as the trembling of her hands. Hinata's pale eyes had also widened considerably.

"Naruto," muttered Gaara warningly. "Stop looking at her like you're about to murder her."

Much to Sakura's surprise, Naruto blushed and dropped his eyes to the floor, his eyebrows mashing together and the awkward silence that followed had Sakura biting her lip excitedly.

_They liked each other!_

The feelings weren't one sided.

But just as Sakura was about to squeal with happiness for the pair, Sasuke's hand pressed to her stomach, gently yet noticeably pushing against it. It had her pouting once more. That was his way of wordlessly warning her to stay out of it and be quiet. Naruto was still trying to find a way to confess his feelings, most likely. Well that idiot had better do it soon! If she had to smack their faces together like she used to do with her dolls, then Sakura would not be happy about it. Poor Hinata would have an anxiety attack right there and then and Naruto would start freaking out about what to do or how to help her. And of course, Sakura expected Sasuke to help her with her planning.

"I don't mind if you all want to drink," Lee assured them all with a smile.

Hinata shook her head. "It wouldn't be fair, Lee-san."

"Hinata's right," Sakura murmured.

"I don't mind," he repeated and stood up, patting one of his pockets to make sure his wallet was in it. "If you give me your money I will go and buy them for you. Naruto-kun is right, we _should_ be celebrating. Not only is your dream coming true, Sakura-san, but Gaara-kun has come home!" His fist clenched as he raised it and his face was one of determination. "We must celebrate!"

There was no arguing with Lee when he had _that_ face on. If they continued to disagree, then he would start going on about their youth and whatever else came with that. Realising this, Sakura nodded once to Naruto, who immediately grinned and slapped Lee's back, nearly causing him to stumble. _Nearly_. Lee would not be taken out by something as simple as that. He may look rather slim, but they all knew how tough he truly was.

"You coming with us, Hinata?" Naruto asked as he accepted Sakura and Sasuke's share of the money. It was clear by the mere handing over that the couple would not be moving from their comfortable position. "I could always pick something up for you."

Was there any point in repeating that she couldn't drink?

Sakura smirked at her from over her shoulder, unknowingly shoving her hair right into Sasuke's face. On the other sofa, Gaara was amused by the fact that he didn't even try to move out of the way, knowing that it would be a failed attempt. Those pink locks had grown so much over the summer. Instead, Sasuke remained still and waited somewhat patiently for his girlfriend to settle down again.

"Go on, Hinata." Her smirk widened wickedly and catching onto her thoughts, the exact same smirk pulled at Naruto's lips. "Your toothbrush is here and you won't be returning home until tomorrow afternoon. All you have to do is not drink too much."

The Hyuuga glanced around at them all, feeling torn on the inside. While she wanted nothing more than to try alcohol and to wear makeup and be like all the other girls, Hinata also didn't want to disobey her father. It would be so disrespectful of her to break his rules, to go behind his back and deliberately disobey him. What would he do if he ever found out? What would her punishment be?

Gaara sighed as he also stood up. "Don't pressure her like that, Sakura. If Hinata wants to drink, then she will. It isn't anybody's choice but her own."

She pouted up at her best friend. Need she keep repeating that he always pushed her off the wrong path when she strayed onto it? "I'm not pressuring her," Sakura muttered childishly. "I'm just pointing out that Hinata's eighteen years old now. Like you said: she can drink if she wants to. I'm just making it known that her father never has to know about it."

Never has to know. Hinata bit her lip thoughtfully. They weren't pressuring her, no matter how much it probably seemed that way. For a while now she had wanted to break some of her father's rules, to see what it felt like being like everybody else. However, that anxious part of herself always held her back. She couldn't upset her father like that, could she? But since she was with trusted friends now and they would always keep her safe…

Forcing herself to stop with the fidgeting, Hinata dropped her hands to her sides and nodded once. "I want to."

Naruto grinned. "Really?"

She smiled at him softly, happy to see such happiness on his features. "Yes."

"It's settled then." His grin widened and he grabbed her hand, causing the blush on her face to return. Even Sasuke was stunned by Naruto's sudden forwardness. "Come on, bushy-brows! We're off to the nearest store."

Considering it was way past eleven at night, both Sakura and Lee knew that the nearest _open_ store was at least a mile away.

Just as they were about to leave, Sakura frowned when Gaara followed.

"You're going, too?"

He raised a brow at her and a small smirk was on his lips. "I'm sure Lee dislikes being a third wheel just as much as I do."

This time, Naruto was blushing just as heavily as Hinata.

She couldn't help but laugh, turning slightly in Sasuke's arms so that she could see them all. "You did that on purpose."

The amusement in his eyes grew. "Perhaps."

The blond at the front of the group muttered under his breath before stomping forward, pulling Hinata along with him. The blush on their cheeks was still bright and still amusing the others and before they turned to leave, Gaara caught the keys that Sakura suddenly threw to him from the coffee table.

"You'll need those to get back in."

"Lee has his own set of keys–"

"Yes, but not to my apartment he doesn't." She rolled her eyes and during that moment, completely missed the cushion that was thrown at her, only missing her face because of Sasuke catching it. "Oi! Stop being so rough with me, Gaara!"

Much to the surprise of the others, he snorted. "I know you don't believe in that feminist crap."

Well, not entirely. Like Sasuke, Sakura believed that if a woman was getting up into a man's face, if she was hitting him and abusing him, then he had the right to defend himself. If a woman was going to act like a man, then she should be treated like one. Hell, Sakura knew that she punched much harder than most guys, and she hated being treated like she was weak just because she was female and a lot smaller than them!

"Yeah, well, I'm a lady, so–"

Gaara barked out a laugh this time. "You're not a lady, Sakura. You're a pain in my ass."

She scowled at him and sat up onto her knees. "Take that back, you jerk!"

"No."

"I swear, Gaara, I'm going to…"

"To?" he pushed with a smirk.

No words would come to mind and Sakura could feel all eyes on her, making her even more annoyed as she desperately tried to find a decent threat.

When the silence continued, his smirk widened. "I thought so."

He turned away, making Sakura even more desperate to find a retort. "Just wait until you're asleep, Sabaku Gaara!"

"Your nagging will most likely put me to sleep."

Her face flushed red but it wasn't out of embarrassment. It was out of anger. And the sight of her anger had Naruto cowering behind Hinata before he lunged forward and daringly grabbed Gaara's other hand, yanking him out of the apartment. Lee was right behind them all, smiling sheepishly at Sakura and trying not to make any sudden movements, waving his hands in a show of surrender.

It was only when the front door closed that she fell back so that she was laying down on her back, smiling up at her boyfriend. "That got rid of them."

"You put on the anger."

Sakura rolled her eyes, laughing quietly. "I knew it would freak Naruto out. This way, I have some time to think of a good retort."

"Sneaky," Sasuke complimented her. "How long will they be gone for?"

Pursing her lips, she thought about it for a moment. The nearest store was at least a mile away due to all the others closing around ten in the evening. When she was the one walking to that store, it took a good half hour to get there and back. That depended on how hard Lee pushed them all, though. He enjoyed taking monster steps with his long legs.

"About half an hour."

Just as he leaned over her, intent on kissing her, Sakura pressed a finger to his lips, forcing Sasuke to come to a halt. She could tell from the hooded look in his eyes what he wanted to do. "Not tonight, Sasuke."

Despite wanting to be with her in such a way, he knew not to pressure her. "Fine."

"It's not that I don't want to," she told him honestly when Sasuke remained leaning over her. "I'm…"

"You're…?"

"On my period." Her voice was quiet and there was a faint blush on her cheeks. "Can you wait for a few days?"

Sasuke smiled at her and pushed her finger out of the way, finally claiming her lips in a gentle and chaste kiss. "Of course I can. It's not just about sex for me."

His words made her smile. "Good, because I–"

"Sorry, sorry!" a loud voice exclaimed and the pair of them froze in their position as Naruto stumbled through the living room with one arm over his eyes and the other waving in front of himself, to feel out his surroundings. "I forgot my wallet!"

The Uchiha growled beneath his breath before reaching over and picking up the frog shaped wallet, not in the least bit sorry when he threw it and it hit Naruto in the face. "Get out, idiot."

"Oi! _Teme,_" Naruto also growled as he picked up the wallet. "I was trying to give you both some privacy! There's no need to be so–"

"Go, Naruto." Sakura slapped her forehead. "And don't go buying any of the cheap stuff. I don't want my throat to feel like it's on fire."

He nodded and left quickly.

It didn't take a genius to realise that the mood was gone and when Sasuke realised this, he sighed and sat back, once more leaning against the cushioned back of the sofa. At the same time, Sakura also sat up, smiling at him in a way that seemed almost shy. It was quite endearing, actually.

"How many times have I told you that I missed you?"

Her words made him smile. "Including now? Eight times." His smile warmed, much to her happiness. "I missed you, too."

"I'm so glad to be home," admitted Sakura.

"We'll have our own place soon, too."

She bit her lip worriedly. "Did you tell them about me, too? Or just that you want your own place?"

"For now, just the latter," Sasuke murmured. "I don't want my father to think either of us chose to stay in Konoha just to be together. He wants you to succeed just as much as he does me."

Sakura nodded understandingly. Quite a few times now, Fugaku had muttered that he expected to hear great things about her. Not good things, but great things. It had always amused her when Itachi was around and heard those words, for when his father wasn't looking, the older brother would roll his eyes and smirk at her.

It was such an overwhelming feeling knowing that the Uchiha family accepted her. They didn't only accept her, but they also respected and supported hers and Sasuke's relationship, even going as far as to telling Sasuke that he would be a fool to mess things up again. And Sakura had to agree. If he messed up in even the slightest way, then he was definitely a fool.

"When are you going to tell your mother?"

She sighed at his question, biting her lip once more. "The sooner, the better, but not just yet." Her voice was quiet. "I've only just got back."

"We still have over a month before college starts." He shrugged, taking her hand in his and idly playing with it. "During that time we could warm them up to the idea."

That sounded like a good plan. She already did her fair share around the apartment, but Sakura knew she could do more considering the fact that her mother worked two jobs. One of them even called her right at the last minute, asking if Mebuki would be able to work a shift.

"What about our college schedules?" asked Sakura suddenly, her features worried. "Tsunade-sama's already told me that on the days I'm not at college, I'll be with her, both shadowing her at the hospital and receiving special lessons. I'll be getting a timetable when I start, but–"

"Calm down, Sakura." He smirked. "That's the whole point of us living together. This way, we'll get to see each other a lot more than what we would if we stayed like this."

His words spoke the truth, she realised. If they continued living with their parents, then they would have very little time for each other. More than likely, they would only be able to see each other on weekends, if that. It all depended on how hard Tsunade was determined on pushing her.

But that also meant less time to see her mother. "We'll have to keep two nights a week free."

Sasuke frowned. "Why?"

"To see our families." The way she said it made it seem so obvious. "We can't forget about them or our friends."

He seemed unimpressed to say the least. "After Naruto's latest interruption, I highly doubt we'll be inviting him around."

"That may be true." She smirked. "But what about Hinata? Lee-san? Gaara? Or what about your friends?"

Sasuke merely shrugged, seeming unconcerned. "I don't plan on inviting Suigetsu or Karin over. In fact, I haven't spoken to either of them since we finished school. Juugo, perhaps. He has a calming effect."

Sakura smiled at that before suddenly standing up and kissing his cheek. "I'm going to get changed into my pyjamas. I don't want to accidentally fall asleep in my new dress."

Nodding, he watched her go before turning back to the television. It was the ending of the movie they'd been watching, the one that Naruto had interrupted and ended up leaving near the end with the others. Even Sakura had admitted that it wasn't the greatest horror movie out there and she'd seen much scarier, but it seemed to have frightened Hinata easily enough.

* * *

None of them seemed out of breath in the slightest, but the redness of Hinata's cheeks made it obvious that Lee had in fact pushed them to walk faster than they usually would. Since her cousin knew of him and they were great friends, she already knew that Lee was into his exercise and enjoyed making a challenge out of everything. Halfway back from the store, he'd challenged them all to a race. First one back would win. Win what? They had no idea.

In the end, Lee won but it was a close second between Naruto and Gaara. Much to her chagrin, she was last though thankfully wasn't too far behind. That would have been embarrassing if she was.

"I suppose this will do." Sakura smiled proudly as she pulled the glass bottles out of the carrier bag, placing them on the coffee table. "I'll go and get the glasses–"

"Allow me," Hinata cut her off with a smile, disappearing into the kitchen only to reappear a moment later, somehow easily carrying five glasses in her arms as well as a cold bottle of something fizzy for Lee. "I wasn't sure which drink you would prefer, Lee-san, so–"

"Coke is fine, thank you." He nodded once, accepting the drink and downing most of it quickly.

"Have any of your ever had alcohol before?" asked Naruto curiously with a raised eyebrow.

Sakura nodded and pointed up at Gaara as she poured his drink. "Temari and Kankuro bought loads of Suna's strongest when Gaara got his acceptance letter." She paused and lifted the glass, eyeing the vodka. "That's a double, right?"

The redhead nodded and accepted the glass, adding his own coke himself.

"Naruto–"

"Double!"

Of course. He wouldn't want to be left behind. With a knowing smirk, she glanced over her shoulder at Sasuke. "I guess you want a double too, right?"

"Am I really that predictable?" He smirked in return before sitting up so that his chest was against her back once more. "Lemonade instead of coke, though."

She nodded, easily pouring the boys' drinks before looking up at Hinata with a smile. "Single like mine?"

That was obviously the smallest of the two, so Hinata nodded and accepted the glass with a smile, taking a wary sniff after the coke had been added. So this was a vodka and coke. Not as great as she thought it would be, in all honesty. Some of the girls in school had made it out to be some kind of drink that should be worshipped. And as she followed Sakura's lead and took a sip of the drink, Hinata had to hold back her grimace. It was vile! And burned her throat. How on earth did people enjoy drinks such as these? Where was the pleasure in them?

"It gets better," Naruto assured her, nudging Hinata's arm gently with his elbow. "Ero-sennin let me drink all the time when we were travelling."

Wow. Why wasn't Sakura surprised? Really. That man was just the worst influence ever. Then again, it was clear Jiraiya cared for Naruto and she supposed it was better to let him drink where he could keep an eye on the blond, rather than when he was out on a street corner with friends or possibly alone.

Sakura could understand Hinata's views on the drink, though. The first time she'd tried vodka was when she was in Suna with Gaara and his siblings. This stuff was much weaker, though. After only two drinks she'd been drunk and Sakura could tell when Gaara glanced down at his glass that he found the vodka weak, too. Wordlessly, she picked up the bottle and handed it to him just as he reached over for it, not even needing to look at him to know that he'd want more.

"Are you sure you can't drink, bushy–"

"I am certain, Naruto-kun," Lee interrupted with a smile. "Sakura-san is right: it's for the best that I don't drink. I don't enjoy feeling like I'm not myself."

And Sakura would rather Lee didn't destroy her living room. Her mother would be devastated since she had worked so hard to buy all of the furniture. "I don't think you need to drink to have fun, anyway." She smiled when he nodded in agreement.

Only an hour and a half later and she was onto her sixth drink, but Hinata politely declined when she was offered her sixth drink, deciding to join Lee and stick to the soft drinks. Alcohol just wasn't for her. Already she was feeling rather dizzy and much lighter than usual and Hinata wasn't sure if she enjoyed the feeling or not.

"I don't feel as anxious," the Hyuuga murmured when all was silent.

Naruto grinned at her. "We've found you the perfect medicine, then!"

"Hardly," snorted Sakura, who'd joined the guys on their doubles not long ago. "Having anxiety would be much better than being a drunk, in my opinion."

For a moment, as they all watched her, Hinata thought about it. Truly thought about it. And as she did, she pursed her lips and frowned minutely, the expression making Naruto's blush brought on by alcohol, deepen.

"It is a nice change," she finally decided, but then nodded. "But I agree with you, Sakura-san. The feeling of being lightheaded isn't that nice, either."

"Lightheaded?" Gaara seemed amused.

Even Sasuke smirked.

"Are you drunk, Hinata-san?" Lee questioned innocently.

Naruto turned his head to the side, squinting at the girl by his side. Like the others, there was a faint blush on her cheeks and her eyes weren't as focused as they usually were. Not only that, but Hinata seemed much more relaxed as she leaned back into the sofa, now holding a lemonade instead of a vodka.

She felt her own cheeks with her hands, seeming surprised. "But I only had a few!"

And even though she was worried, Sakura found it a nice surprise that Hinata wasn't getting overly panicked or anxious like she would when sober. This worry was much calmer and more tame, making her only feel a little embarrassed about being a lightweight. If she'd been sober, she would have been blushing and stuttering and stumbling over her words until she fell silent altogether, unable to even think straight.

"Don't worry about it," muttered Gaara as he took another sip of his drink. "In Suna, Sakura passed out after her third drink."

"In my defence," Sakura blushed madly when they all snickered, "that stuff is stupidly strong! I'm surprised nobody's gone blind because of it."

"Oh, they have." He shrugged. "Some have even died."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he sat up properly, holding Sakura closer to him. "And you still let her drink that stuff?"

Icy blue eyes rolled and Gaara seemed totally unconcerned by Sasuke's protectiveness. "We all know our limits. Do you really think any of us would have allowed Sakura to drink recklessly?"

Deciding he had a point, Sasuke backed down.

"You seem to know a lot about alcohol, Gaara-kun," Hinata murmured thoughtfully.

Again, he rolled his eyes. He seemed more laid back when he'd had a drink. "There's not much to do in Suna."

"So you drank?" Naruto pushed and leaned forward, pointing to his glass. "I mean, you're pouring like… I don't know fifths or something."

This time it was Sakura who rolled her eyes. "Just say half the glass, Naruto." Sitting up straighter, she then shrugged, trying to take the attention away from Gaara. She could tell by the very faint twitch in his brow that he was feeling uncomfortable. "The stuff in Suna is a hell of a lot stronger. He wasn't joking when he said I passed out after like, three drinks or something."

The reason why Gaara drank quite a bit while in Suna was because he seriously had nothing better to do. No, he was not alcohol dependent or anything of the sort, since he'd only drank twice while they were in Suna. He was, however, depressed and found it better to have a drink to take the edge off of the day. Since she arrived at his home, he hadn't been needing one nearly as much, though. He only drank twice and one of those times had been when they were celebrating.

"Is there really nothing to do in Suna?" Lee asked with a frown. "I would have thought it would be exciting, what with all the survival and–"

"It's not exciting when you have to focus on it every minute of every day," the redhead muttered. "It gets tiring."

Not to mention his problem with Matsuri and the fact nobody had accepted him. Sakura held back her urge to frown but just as she was about to change the subject, somebody else beat her to it. It made her smile to herself that he'd cared enough to step in.

"You said you're studying martial arts."

Gaara seemed vaguely surprised by Sasuke's statement, but nodded anyway. "Yeah."

"What do you plan on doing after?"

He shrugged at the question. "I haven't thought that far ahead. I would like to open my own dojo, thought."

"We could become rivals," Lee declared as he hopped to his feet, raising his fist and clenching it tightly. "I plan on following Gai-sensei's footsteps and taking over the dojo when the time comes."

There was a smirk on his lips. "You would have to defeat me at least once before I even consider you to be my rival."

The challenge clearly had Lee's blood boiling because his fist began to tremble and his expression was one of determination, leaving the others to stare in surprise and wonder. "I have trained a lot since our last spar, Gaara-kun. This time it won't be so easy."

"Good. I'll be rejoining the dojo as soon as my apartment is set up."

"It's not set up yet?" Naruto slurred with a frown, pausing in pouring himself another drink. "I thought it would be ready by now?"

It was Sakura who answered since she knew more about it than he did. Knowing her best friend the way she did, she had decided to take care of his furniture and anything of the sort, teaming up with Temari to make sure they had it perfect for him. If Gaara had been left in charge, he'd be living with the bare minimum, probably forgetting to by something that was incredibly important. Like a refrigerator.

"He's still waiting on the furniture to arrive. It should be here in two to three days, though. There was a delay in shipping, or something."

"Gaara-kun."

The serious voice of Rock Lee had Gaara looking up at him languidly, wondering what his problem was. "What?"

"I cannot wait until our spar," he admitted, still remaining rather serious. "So I challenge you to an arm wrestling match!"

* * *

Hours later, four of the six had passed out from either exhaustion or drinking too much, leaving the remaining two to watch the television that was left on.

Only an hour after the arm wrestling match, much to her horror, Hinata began to feel sick and much dizzier than before, though fortunately, Sakura managed to get her to the bathroom on time just when she started throwing up. They'd been in there for a while, so the guys entertained themselves by continuing with their arm wrestling matches.

The first match was between Gaara and Lee. It had lasted a while but eventually, much to Gaara's surprise, Lee won. He brushed it off as it being the alcohol in his system. Then it was Naruto and Sasuke and for a while, it had been a tough match. Neither of them budged until Sasuke flexed his arm and slammed Naruto's hand down into the counter.

Due to the coffee table _and_ the dining table being made of glass, Sakura had demanded that they used the counter in the kitchen. What made it easier was that there was a half wall, one that meant they could stand opposite each other. One in the living room and one in the kitchen.

Then it was Naruto and Gaara. Gaara won.

Naruto and Lee. Lee won.

By that time, Naruto was getting frustrated, but none of them told him it was because of how much he'd had to drink. The blond was barely capable of standing straight. All of his sentences had been slurred and half finished, too.

Then, it was Sasuke and Gaara.

Oh the tension had been palpable.

In the end, the two girls returning from the bathroom had ended their match, as Sakura needed help with changing Hinata, who was just about ready to pass out. The Hyuuga had been leaning heavily against her and even though Sakura was a freakishly strong girl, she was unable to manage somebody's entire weight after having quite a few drinks and feeling a little drunk herself.

Lee was the one who helped her carry Hinata into her bedroom, though respectfully turned away when Sakura undressed her and changed her. He once more carried her into the living room, gently settling her down in the centre of one of the sofas.

"_Is she okay?"_ Naruto had demanded, leaning over Hinata just as she fell asleep. _"She doesn't look too good."_

Sakura slapped his hand away just as he went to touch her. "_Her body's not used to alcohol, Naruto. And keep your hands to yourself."_

Only ten minutes later and Naruto had fallen asleep beside Hinata, only just managing to slip out of his shirt and socks before he was out. Next was Sakura, who'd already been in her pyjamas when she cuddled up next to Hinata, peacefully sleeping. Sasuke had fallen asleep not much longer after his girlfriend and once he was asleep, Sakura had turned around, snuggling up to him instead.

This was the sight that welcomed Mebuki when she returned from her late night shift and she couldn't help but stare at the living room in stunned silence.

By now, Naruto was spooning Hinata, who was spooning Sakura. Sakura, on the other hand, was completely entangled with Sasuke, holding onto him tightly. It was rather amusing, Gaara had murmured to her after the woman snapped a picture of them all. However, rather than finding it amusing, Mebuki's heart warmed as she saw her daughter clinging tightly to Sasuke with her face buried into his chest. His chin was resting on the top of her head and his arms were wrapped around her in a protective and comforting embrace. It was such a beautiful sight to see.

"I don't remember purchasing alcohol," Mebuki stated quietly, though there was no scolding look on her features. "Just as long as you were all sensible…"

Lee nodded and sat up, quick to assure her, "Hinata-san got sick, but Sakura-san took care of her."

Her face warmed. That was her Sakura, all right. Always taking care of others. It was no surprise that she wanted to be a doctor. "Make sure Hinata-chan drinks plenty of water when she wakes up," she told the two boys. "And there should be some medicine in the bathroom if she has a hangover."

"I'm sure she will be grateful," retorted Gaara, pointing in the direction of the bathroom. "We cleaned the mess up."

She should hope so. The last thing she wanted after a long night shift at the diner was to be cleaning up somebody else's vomit. Though, considering it was Hinata, she supposed she wouldn't have minded too greatly. The girl seemed so delicate and was always caring for Sakura. Very much like these two boys.

"It's good to have you home, Gaara-kun," Mebuki told him softly as she walked forward and closed the lid on the bottle of coke that had been left opened. "You are a very good friend to Sakura. Like her older brother, even."

It was strange thinking of Sakura as his sister considering their previous relationship. It may have only lasted a short while, but it had still existed and they had still kissed a few times. Wouldn't that be classed as incest? The thought of kissing Temari, who was actually his sister, horrified him. "Thank you."

"And the same goes for you, Lee-kun." She was mindful of keeping her voice low, so that they didn't wake the other four up. "You're also a very dear friend to Sakura. I'm very grateful she has you both to look out for her."

Lee blushed at the compliment and was surprisingly unable to find the words to reply with. Eventually, however, he cleared his throat, managing to whisper, "You did a very fine job with raising her, Mebuki-san. Sakura-san is blossoming into a beautiful flower–"

Gaara rolled his eyes and cut him off. It was way too early (or late) to be receiving a lecture about youth. "Now isn't the time, I know, and I'm sure you're exhausted but…" He frowned, growing serious and at his expression, the other two did, as well. "Sakura's anger has gotten a lot worse since the last time I saw her."

After taking a moment to think about it, Lee nodded, too. "I am genuinely worried for my friend, Mebuki-san. Sakura-san has difficulty controlling her temper."

The woman swallowed hard and her expression cracked ever so slightly. To try and distract herself, she tucked the other four in, making sure they were all covered and kept warm. "I know," she whispered so quietly that they almost didn't hear her. Then, she moved closer to them. "It _has_ gotten better, though. Since Sakura has been with Sasuke-kun, her outbursts have gone down–"

"But they're still there." Gaara was remaining firm and serious, not allowing Mebuki's emotions to sway him. "I've been watching her over all summer, Mebuki. Sakura…" As much as it pained him to say it… "She needs help."

"It will take more than an outlet like martial arts," Lee murmured thoughtfully, his eyes straying over to the television. He couldn't even tell what they were watching now. "Her skills have flourished wonderfully over the years and both Gai-sensei and I are very proud of her. However, martial artists never go looking for trouble. They only fight when necessary or during tournaments."

Mebuki rubbed her aching eyes, feeling much more tired than she had five minutes ago. "She gets worked up so easily and it hurts that I can't do anything to help."

"But you can, Mebuki-san!" Lee quickly lowered his voice when Hinata mumbled in her sleep, trying to turn around once she'd released Sakura but failing due to Naruto's firm hold. If only she knew he was holding her. Lee was certain she would pass out again. "Getting Sakura-san the help she needs will help her."

There was silence for a moment as Gaara regarded her, wondering if his words would be the right ones. "She's scared of her anger."

The blonde's eyes widened. "…What?"

"She's scared of turning into her father."

Thankfully, no tears filled her eyes and after taking a deep, calming breath, Mebuki glanced over in Sakura's direction, her eyes softening at the peaceful look on her face. Yes, Uchiha Sasuke was definitely the source of Sakura's happiness.

"I selfishly tried to believe that that would never happen," Mebuki admitted quietly. "Whenever Sakura would get angry, I always told myself that it was okay. She's just stressed." Her eyebrows knitted together and this time, tears _did_ fill her eyes. "…But that's what I always told myself whenever her father got angry."

Lee frowned in confusion, looking between Gaara and Mebuki. "Her father? Am I missing something, Mebuki-san?"

Her mouth opened to answer, about to reply, but when the words wouldn't come out, Gaara answered for her, saying, "Kizashi was violent with them both, though only once with Sakura. It was a regular occurrence for Mebuki, though."

The look on his face could only be described as heartbreak and it made Mebuki's heart warm seeing the look. It wasn't pity. Lee was truly feeling for her.

"You didn't deserve that, Mebuki-san." He didn't even need to try to keep his voice low. "Sakura-san didn't either. I saw him come by here not too long ago, while Sakura-san was in Suna. Did he…?"

She shook her head, offering him a small smile. "I didn't let him into the building."

"I'm glad," Lee told her before saying just as seriously, "Next time, I want you to tell me if he is here or gives you any trouble, Mebuki-san. I will not allow him to harm you or Sakura-san. You are both very precious to me and Gai-sensei has always taught me to protect my loved ones."

Those familiar green eyes softened and her heart felt incredibly lighter with his words. "Thank you, Lee-kun." Standing, she leaned over, gently kissing the tops of each of their heads. "I should be getting to sleep, anyway. I have a shift early in the morning at the office. You should both try to get some sleep, too." She paused, giving them another look of motherly love. "I didn't know them, but I'd like to think both of your parents would have been so proud to see the kind of men their boys have become."

With that, she left, leaving the two boys to smile to themselves.

Mebuki was like the mother they'd never had, which solidified only one thought in their minds as they exchanged a single look:

Haruno Kizashi would not harm Mebuki or Sakura.

* * *

It was way too early in the morning when they were woken by banging.

Hesitantly, Hinata opened her eyes and glanced around, though was happy to realise that she didn't feel as bad as she thought she would. It must have been the medicine Sakura had given her the night before, not to mention the tall glass of water she'd been forced to drink before falling asleep.

Naruto was missing, she realised after a moment, but the bathroom door being shut made it clear when he was. As for Sakura and Sasuke, she noticed with a smile, they were both still sleeping and holding onto each other. It was nice seeing that happy look on Sakura's face. Even in sleep, she seemed happy and peaceful. The other two were slowly waking up, with Gaara stretching and Lee blinking rapidly to try and clear his vision.

"What's that noise?" Gaara muttered irritably.

Hinata also sat up and waited for a second, frowning when she glanced at the clock and realised it was way past nine in the morning. That meant Mebuki would be at work.

"It seems to be the door," replied Hinata, her frown deepening when the person continued to rudely bang on it. That was no way to knock on somebody's door so early in the morning. Her father would have absolutely refused to open it or would have treated the guest with the same rudeness when demanding that they leave. "Perhaps we were too loud last night?"

"Possibly." Lee sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Naruto-kun got rather excited with the arm wrestling."

The banging continued, only growing louder the longer they took to answer. "It must be a resident, since they're in the building." As Hinata got up, she stretched, enjoying the popping and cracking of her joints. The sofa bed wasn't the most comfortable of places to sleep. "I will answer it and try to calm them. Sakura-san won't be happy to have such a rude awakening."

That was true, Gaara and Lee wordlessly agreed before looking over at Sakura, watching her for a moment. Their conversation with Mebuki the night before was still very clear to them and still at the very front of their minds. Sakura's anger was getting worse and was harder for her to control. She didn't need anybody making her angrier than she already felt.

The bathroom door opened just as Hinata left and sheepishly, Naruto's eyes trailed over to the bed, the blush on his cheeks deepening when he saw Hinata was awake.

"You were clingy last night."

Gaara's words had him freezing. "W-What?"

"To Hinata." The redhead smirked tiredly and leaned back into the sofa, resting his eyes. "Wouldn't let go of her even while you were sleeping."

"You like her, don't you, Naruto-kun?" Lee pushed, smiling warmly. "I think it is great. You seem to make her very happy."

He grinned. "You think?"

But then Lee's smile dimmed and and he glanced in the direction of the bathroom. "You were in their for a while. What were you doing?"

"Oh, I ate something funny yesterday and I didn't want to go while Hinata was awake, but I _really_ needed a shi–"

A loud crash and a startled cry had Gaara's eyes flying open, had Lee immediately on his feet and on the other sofa, Sasuke's eyes also snapped open and he dragged Sakura closer, leaning over her as the crash startled him.

Naruto, on the other hand, had only one thing in mind when a large man came storming into the living room with a look of pure rage on his face.

"Hinata!"

He was blocking the hallway, however, so the blond could only stand there with a fierce glower, trying and failing to intimidate the other man. The older man wasn't even looking at him, for his eyes immediately swept over to the couple laying on the sofa, narrowing dangerously at the sight of Sasuke shaking Sakura awake. She was slow to respond, moaning in protest and trying to slap the hands away from her. She even rolled onto her stomach to try and avoid the wake up call, but Sasuke only turned her back around and sat her up, having Sakura leaning against him as he quietly murmured for her to wake up.

The man's fists clenched and the murderous look on his face seemed to double.

"Get your hands off my daughter!"

* * *

**A/N - Thank you all for your kind and lovely messages last chapter. They really do mean a lot to me and I hope you enjoy this chapter**


	22. The Confrontation

**Chapter 22 – The Confrontation**

The second she heard his voice, Sakura was wide awake.

She was awake and on her feet and taking many steps back, trying her best to put more space between herself and _that man_.

"How did you get in the building?" Sakura demanded, her voice sounding a hell of a lot stronger than she felt. "How did you get into my _home_?"

Haruno Kizashi merely narrowed his eyes and by his sides, his fists clenched. "How I got in here doesn't matter," he muttered and slowly, his eyes moved to Sasuke's. "What matters is that your whoring around–"

"Whoring around?" Sasuke snarled in return and stood up also, standing beside Sakura. "Don't speak to or about her like that."

"Or what?" He barked out a laugh. "What are you going to do about it, kid?"

"Or we'll teach you a lesson in manners," Gaara murmured lowly and his upper lip curled, his own fists trembling by his sides.

Out of the corner of her eye, Sakura glanced around, taking note of everyone and when she couldn't find Hinata, her heart was instantly in her throat. Where was Hinata? "Where is she?" When nobody answered her, her voice grew louder, more desperate and her eyes were wide. "_Where the hell is Hinata?"_

Naruto was just as anxious as she was, shifting from foot to foot and glaring hatefully at Kizashi. He had no idea what was going on or why Sakura's father was suddenly in the apartment, yelling and threatening them all. All he _did_ know was that Hinata had answered the door and other than her cry when it was slammed open, she had been silent.

When Naruto continued to stare behind Kizashi anxiously, Sakura felt pure fear shooting across every part of her body. "What did you do to her?"

Kizashi glanced over his shoulder before facing them once more, shrugging carelessly. "She was in my way. Now–"

"You bastard!" Naruto yelled angrily but was quickly stopped from making a wrong move by Lee, who pulled him back.

"Don't fight, Naruto-kun. This is a lot more serious than you think."

"What? Why is–"

"Where is she?" Kizashi suddenly demanded, ignoring the other two. "Where's your whore of a mother?"

Whore of a mother? Sakura couldn't help but feel outraged. How dare he? _How fucking dare he_? Her mother was no whore! In fact, after their failure of a marriage, she had been too busy and too traumatised to even think about trying a new relationship.

"You…"

Tears slipped down her cheeks as vicious memories flashed through her mind, as she recalled the vicious beating she'd witnessed her mother taking, as she remembered how the woman tried to be silent through it so that she wouldn't wake Sakura.

She reacted completely on her emotions.

"Bastard!" Sakura screamed, her vocal chords shaking and face flushing red. Grabbing the vase that was on the table, she threw it at her father with all her strength only to have him easily dodge it. Instead it crashed into the wall, shattering into tiny pieces. "_You fucking bastard!_"

Her friends were stunned to say the least, all warily standing still.

"Tell me!"

"No!"

It felt like everything slowed down when he stepped towards her and for the first time ever, they saw fear on Sakura's features, they saw the fear Kizashi created. It was a horrible sight and looked so wrong on her. And the second Kizashi made a move towards her, the rest of them did, also.

Sasuke yanked her behind him, the glare on his face vicious, _daring_ him to try and touch her, whereas Lee had released Naruto and appeared by the man's side, his right fist ready to strike should he have to. As for Gaara, he was right in front of Kizashi, refusing to be intimidated as he sized the man up, as he stared him down with a dark look of his own.

"Take one more step towards her and you won't be walking out of here," he muttered warningly, his eyes narrowing a fraction. "Naruto. Go and check on Hinata."

He was gone from their sights in a second, not needing to be told twice.

"Why are you here?" questioned Lee. "If it is to harm Mebuki-san or Sakura-san, then just know that we will not let that happen."

Like hell Sakura would ever let that man harm her mother again. Not after all he'd put her through in the past. She would rather take the beating for her!

When Kizashi spoke, he spoke only to Sakura. His voice was much calmer but the anger on his features had yet to disappear. "Where have you been?"

"Suna."

"And why wasn't I told about it? Why did your mother refuse to answer the door?"

Oh Gods, the thought of him coming here when her mother was alone _petrified_ Sakura. What would have happened if it had been the other way around? If there was only Mebuki here and not Sakura and all her friends?

"It's none of your concern," Sasuke replied for her, the hand holding her arm now seeming more comforting than restraining. "You may have helped create her, but you are no father. You have no right to know about Sakura's movements or her whereabouts. The same goes for Mebuki. She wouldn't open the door because you're a wife beater. You're scum."

Had she not been so scared, had Sakura not been thinking about trying to keep last night's vodka down as well as all of the snacks she'd munched through, then she would have taken notice of the way her heart warmed at Sasuke's words. She would have taken better notice of the way they were all defending her.

"Naruto!" Sakura snapped, her fear doubling at his silence. "What are you doing? Is Hinata okay?"

And then Naruto seemed to be appearing out of nowhere and slamming right into Kizashi. The look on his features stunned them all, but not nearly as much as the blood on his hand, that same hand smashing into the older man's face once he'd made his way around him.

Blood.

"Hinata-san," Lee called, torn between whether he should go check on her or help Naruto.

One look from Gaara had him disappearing into the hallway, freezing in his place at the sight of the Hyuuga. She was slumped beneath the broken shelf and by her side was another shattered vase. What worried him wasn't only the blood on her hand from the broken glass, but also the blood coming from the wound on her head. In a second, he was kneeling in front of her, gingerly tilting her head in his direction. Her eyes were heavy and Lee could see that Hinata was fighting through the pain, through the disorienting feeling that was probably trying to overwhelm her.

"N-Naruto-kun…" she whispered, trying to look into the living room. The angle of it made it impossible. "Help him… L-Lee-san. Please!"

"He will be fine, Hinata-san," stated Lee in return. "It is you who I'm worried about."

"I-I'm fine," Hinata murmured, pressing a hand to her head and wincing at the pain it caused. "I-It's just a… a-a bump…"

He shook his head, pulling back her hand so she could see it. "You're bleeding!"

There was a muted thud coming from the living room and the sound of Sakura's yell had her tensing.

"Help me stand."

There was no asking. It was an order. He could definitely understand now why Neji was so fascinated by her, especially as she pushed aside the pain she was feeling like it was nothing. Not fascinated with her in a creepy way. More like he could see her potential. If only she found that place within herself, one that would help Hinata push aside her anxiety issues! Neji always spoke highly of his cousin and that was something that he didn't do often. He rarely spoke highly of _anyone_. But when he spoke of Hinata, there was always pride in his stern eyes.

So Lee did not argue with her, especially considering the fact that her pale eyes were serious and narrowed, fighting fiercely through the dazed feeling.

"Take me to Naruto-kun."

Again, he followed her order without hesitation.

And once they were in the living room, she assessed the situation critically, hiding the fact that her heart was in her throat and it was taking everything not to tremble or sway. The dizziness had not left her and neither had the burning sensation in her cut up hand and Hinata was just about managing to keep her stomach calm, to keep from throwing up.

The sight of Naruto on the ground, clutching his face and grimacing in agony, had her moving away from the support Lee had been giving her.

The others watched with wide eyes as Hinata placed herself in front of Naruto, _glaring_ up at Kizashi.

And then Hinata's eyes narrowed dangerously and she fell into a stance she had been taught from a very young age, the sight of it making both Gaara and Sasuke's eyes widen a fraction. That was the same stance as…

"Hinata, you–"

"Neji taught Hinata-san everything he knows," Lee murmured though his eyes never left Kizashi's. "Despite how very much like a porcelain doll she looks, Hinata-san _is_ capable of protecting herself. Neji would have it no other way."

Sakura wished she could find some of her own strength like Hinata suddenly had. That girl… She was a pacifist and so obviously hurt, yet she was tossing aside her beliefs to protect the boy she loved with all her heart. She was pushing aside how she felt to protect them all.

"I won't let you harm my friends." There was no shake in her voice. No hesitancy. The Hyuuga was serious as she watched Kizashi. "If you're going to harm anyone, hurt me. I can assure you that I will give just as much as I take."

It would be a dishonour to her cousin if she didn't.

"Hinata–"

"Stay back, Sakura-san." The seriousness never left her voice for a moment. "I thought I was dreaming last night… I thought it was the alcohol… But your mother really…" She shook her head, that cool expression cracking ever so slightly until it hardened once more. "Mebuki-san is one of the kindest people I have ever met. Nobody has ever seen the true me straight away. They're always blinded by my anxiety. But they did."

She swallowed hard against the dizziness and strengthened her stance, bringing her flattened hands higher and ignoring the fact that blood was now dripping from her left hand, both onto the floor and up her arm. "I don't like how my best friend acts or feels in your presence," Hinata told him coldly. "Haruno Sakura does not fear anyone."

Kizashi looked torn for just a moment, like he was debating on what to do and from behind her, Hinata heard Naruto growling at her to get out of the way, to take care of herself.

"Do it," murmured Hinata as she stared him down. "Raise your hand to me like you did your wife, like you did to your daughter. I promise you now, I will not hold back, either."

And so he did.

Hinata quickly batted it away, the sound of her hand connecting with his echoing around the room and with wide eyes, Kizashi swung for her again, not enjoying the defiance in her pale eyes, nor the fact that she didn't seem affected by him in the least.

"Hinata, don't–"

Lee pulled Naruto out of the way before he could distract her, knowing that this was something Hinata needed to do. It stunned him that she had heard the conversation from late last night, as she had looked to be in a deep sleep.

Like Lee had with Naruto, Sasuke kept Sakura back, murmuring to her that Gaara would be able to step in the second the tables turned. And even though she knew he was right, she feared for her friend. They had no idea what her father was truly capable of. Why would they? Most of them hadn't even known what he was really like. Just like she had been, they'd been blinded by his friendly mask. They had been played just as greatly as Sakura had been, and like her mother had in the beginning, too. All they saw were the kind smiles and the gentle looks, the playful acts or whatever else it was that fathers did with their children.

Finally switching from defensive to offensive, Hinata's stance shifted and she slammed her hand forward, not listening or paying attention to the sound of her hand connecting with his face, knocking Kizashi off balance and smearing blood across his cheek. However, just as she went to follow through, to hit him again, the dizziness returned and she felt bile rising her throat, felt the pain in her head increasing.

During the distraction he caught her wrist effortlessly before it could strike him, his eyes hardening as he glared down at her.

The following crack seemed deafening and had them all freezing.

Hinata could only stare at her wrist for a moment, stunned into shock but the moment the pain flooded into her, it felt like it erupted everywhere within her all at once and she fell to her knees, barely managing to hold back her scream of agony. All that was able to escape her clenched teeth was a shout of pain and once Kizashi let go of her now broken wrist, she held it gingerly to her chest, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Before Gaara could grab him, before Sasuke could stop her, Sakura lunged forward, eyes wide with pure hate as she shoulder barged her father away from Hinata, knocking him straight into the dining table. She followed him without pause, going through it with him and the second she felt his back connecting with the ground, her fist was coming down on him with an unforgiving rage, the other shortly following.

Behind her, Naruto and Lee rushed over to Hinata, the former pulling her against him in her kneeling position and trying to comfort her, but unable to hide his horror at the sight of her wrist.

"It's broken," Gaara muttered from beside them. You didn't need to be a doctor to see that. The awkward angle and the way Hinata was shaking and crying, sobbing outright, was enough.

"Take her to the hospital, Naruto-kun," Lee stated seriously. "I will contact Neji and he will meet you there."

Both Neji and Hiashi would out for blood for this. Nobody was to harm Hinata.

They would have to get in line, Naruto inwardly growled as he helped Hinata to her feet, still holding her against him. He was trying his best not to jostle her too much, to not cause much movement due to the state her hand was in. It was difficult, though. Eventually they managed to sneak out of the apartment.

"Uchiha." Gaara's voice was still low and his eyes were fixed on the sight of Sakura taking out her built up rage on her father. "Contact whatever family member of yours is on duty. They–"

"Itachi." Sasuke quickly turned for his phone, swiftly unlocking it and going through his contacts. "Itachi will get here as quickly as possible."

Nobody detested domestic violence more than his older brother. In fact, he hated any man who thought it was okay to raise his hand to a woman.

However, he shoved the phone into Gaara's hand the second Sakura lost the upper hand, moving forward and grabbing the closest thing he could find. It happened to be a half full bottle of vodka and upon impact, Kizashi stilled, freezing in his position of pinning down his own daughter. But just as he turned to swing at Sasuke, the Uchiha threw the now broken bottle aside and caught his wrist and yanked the man forward, slamming his foot into his stomach and giving Sakura the chance to get out of there.

"Do you even know who I am?" Sasuke muttered darkly and released Kizashi's wrist, his own fist flying forward and causing him to crash backwards into the broken glass of the dining table. "I'm an Uchiha. Don't go thinking I'm weak and defenceless, old man."

Like his father would ever allow for such a thing.

When Kizashi got back up like he hadn't even been struck or bottled, like he wasn't affected in the slightest, Sasuke grabbed Sakura and pulled her away once more, keeping her behind him. His hand was aching and the bottle was smashed from being slammed over his head, so he knew for a fact that he'd hit the man hard. Why wasn't he showing any pain? What the hell was he made of?

"Ex-military," whispered Sakura under her breath, also stunned by her father's lack of pain. "Captain of his own squad back during The Third War."

And he still turned on his wife and daughter? All three boys felt sick to their stomachs. Whether he was affected by what had happened in the war mattered very little. It was _never_ okay to raise your hand to _anyone_ who had no way of defending themselves. That was one of the first things Gaara and Lee had been taught in martial arts, whereas it was just common knowledge for Sasuke, who was raised in a family of police officers.

"Are you hurt?" Sasuke asked her seriously.

Aside from the aching knuckles, Sakura knew she was fine. Well, physically. She just felt _so angry_ for Hinata. Her wrist…

Just the memory had Sakura seeing red and it became more obvious that Sasuke was holding her back from attacking again.

"Neji is on his way to the hospital," Lee informed them, shoving his phone into his pocket. "He is not happy and is keeping it from Hiashi-san for the time being. It will do no good to disturb him at the moment."

It seemed wrong, but Sakura knew that Lee was right. What they needed to do was get her father behind bars first. Not for that bastard's safety, because she would _enjoy_ seeing Hyuuga Hiashi and Neji unleashing their wrath on Kizashi. No, it was so they didn't do anything stupid and end up behind bars, too. Like stated before: the two Hyuuga men would be out for blood.

"What about Itachi?" Sasuke demanded, glancing over at Gaara.

"He is on his way and said he will be no longer than five to ten minutes, though will need to be granted entry to the building."

Damn it. They could always buzz him in, but there was the chance that he couldn't remember what apartment number Sakura was living in, or Kizashi not allowing them to grant Itachi entry. Not only that, but the elevator was down due to maintenance. It would be more difficult in this maze of a building to find the correct floor and apartment.

"Sakura."

Her eyes snapped up to her father's, narrowing with hate.

"My wedding was cancelled."

What? That was news to her. Then again, why would she have known? "So she saw sense."

He shook his head, the look on his face darkening. "Only because that bitch interfered."

Bitch?

Her fists shook.

"The only bitch around here is you!" she snarled angrily. "What sort of man beats his wife? You're a coward!"

Gaara grabbed Sakura's wrist just as she raised her fist, but his eyes were on Sasuke's. "Go and meet your brother downstairs."

"You–"

"I will not let anything happen to Sakura-san," Lee assured him, nodding once and blocking the exit from the apartment. "Go, Sasuke-kun. The sooner this is dealt with, the better."

He shook his head. There wasn't a chance in hell that he was leaving Sakura with that monster. What if she needed his help? So what if Lee and Gaara were there? They weren't her boyfriends. He was. He was the one who would protect her.

"We can sort all of this out," spoke Kizashi suddenly, cutting off their conversation. "Just speak to my fiancée, Sakura. Tell her your mother is off her meds and is making it all up. If you do that, I'll leave and you'll never see me again."

It sounded so tempting, but… "There's no way I'm going to let you put anyone else through what you put my mom through."

"I'm differ–"

"You _broke_ my friend's wrist!" Sakura yelled and in Gaara's grasp, her arm struggled to be freed. "You hurt somebody who was only defending her friends!"

"Saku-chan, I–"

"_Don't call me that!"_ This time, her voice went even louder, went a little higher. "I've told you not to call me that!"

His eyes hardened and instinctively, Sakura shrank back, though quickly straightened up, refusing to be intimidated by him any longer. This man was old news. She would make it that way. As soon as Itachi arrived, the problem would be dealt with and her mother could go on with her life. Maybe she'd even find a husband who worshipped the ground she walked on, giving her the devotion and the attention Mebuki definitely deserved.

Turning her head to the side, she locked eyes with her boyfriend. "Go, I'll be fine." Sakura smiled at Sasuke. "Both Lee-san and Gaara will be here."

Sasuke couldn't help but frown in response. "But you–"

"He won't touch me." Once more, her voice was stronger than she felt. How could she promise such a thing? Her father was one of the most unpredictable men she'd ever met. "Just go. The sooner you're down there, the sooner you're back."

Eventually, reluctantly, Sasuke nodded and after sending another glance over in Kizashi's direction, he leaned forward, kissing Sakura lightly on the lips.

"I'll be back." Then, he smirked against her lips. "Try not to lose your temper."

She returned his smirk, kissing Sasuke a final time before watching him leave, her heart feeling like it was sinking straight into her stomach.

"You…"

When she looked over at Kizashi, he was practically trembling in his place. His face was flushing red with anger and by his sides, his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white under the strain. Just like his fists, his jaw was clenched and the veins in his neck appeared to be standing out more than usual, as was the one on his forehead.

He was _seriously_ losing his temper, Sakura realised and in response, all colour drained from her features.

Gaara narrowed his eyes, releasing Sakura's wrist as he could tell she wouldn't be recklessly attacking any time soon. "Is the sight really so foreign to you?" he snorted, though there was no amusement on his features or in his voice. "That's how you're supposed to treat the woman you care for, you coward. Not with violence, but with love."

Lee looked quite stunned yet proud to hear such words coming from Gaara's mouth. However, he was quick to agree, his fist clenching tightly in front of him. "I do not mean to cause offence, but you truly are a fool, Kizashi-san. Any man would be lucky to be married to a woman such as Mebuki-san and to have a daughter like Sakura-san would make you just as lucky."

All the time, Kizashi's eyes never left Sakura's, staring her down coldly.

"Her influence…" His voice shook with the rage he could feel. "It's tainted you."

What?

Her features scrunched up with disgust and confusion all at the same time. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"You and that mother of yours," snapped Kizashi in response, his upper lip curling. "Everything about her is filthy and tainted and now you're just as dirty as she is."

In response, she barked out a laugh, sounding amused by her father's words. "You're fucking insane. That or stupid!"

His anger doubled.

Gaara scowled over at her. What was Sakura doing? Was she purposely trying to piss Kizashi off? Yes, he agreed completely with what she was saying, but the wiser thing to do at that moment in time would be to ignore Kizashi. Having her anger clashing with Kizashi's would do more harm than good.

But Sakura knew there was no use in doing that. It was what her mother tried doing so many times over the years. Ignoring him and hoping, _praying_, that it would be enough to put him off. Praying that he wouldn't see any reasons to beat her. Did it work? No. Kizashi would be pissed off even more by her ignorance and her rude behaviour.

"You may have been married to her," Sakura continued coldly, "but you don't know my mom. You've never known her."

"We were married for–"

"Twenty years. Yeah, I know. But tell me this, _Dad,_" she snarled the word. "What's her favourite colour?"

"Red–"

"Wrong. It's green." Her eyes narrowed. "What about _my_ favourite colour? What about my date of birth? Favourite food? What calms me down or helps me relax?"

Kizashi's upper lip curled whereas Lee couldn't help but gaze at his friend sadly. As for Gaara, he continued to stare Kizashi down, trying to read the man's movements.

"That last thing is the most important, by the way," said Sakura almost conversationally. The tone in her voice was too cool, however and the look in her eyes was definitely not friendly. "And that's because I get my anger from you." When his eyes flashed angrily, she smirked, though there was no amusement in her eyes. "_That's_ the look. Whenever people see that look in _my_ eyes, they run a mile. I've heard that some people even _pray_ to avoid angering me."

"Where the hell are you going with this?" came Kizashi's low growl.

She raised an eyebrow at him. Part of herself felt quite happy and proud, mostly because she was able to remain calm despite the burning anger in her gut. Also because there was no shake in her voice. There were no tears or expressions of agony. She was calm.

"Your anger is a hell of a lot more serious than mine," Sakura told him. "_That's _where I'm going with this. You've traumatised Mom so badly that she can't even _think_ about being with another guy."

This only seemed to amuse him, though. A sickening smirk pulled at his lips, melting away some of his anger. "Good. That means she's finally closed her legs and stopped being a dirty slut."

Her calm façade cracked. It crumbled right before their very eyes. And when she spoke, her voice shook. "My mom is not a slut."

"She was always sneaking–"

"I very much doubt that," she spat hatefully. Her chest was heaving as she took a daring step forward. "And if she _did_ sleep with other guys, it's probably because you pushed her into it. I wouldn't blame her for seeking comfort from others. Not when she had a spineless, whiny _bitch_ of a husband who probably couldn't even get it up half of the time!"

And then he was right in front of her.

"No fucking respect!" he snarled, slamming his fist into her face and pinning her down to the ground easily. "I'm your father, so I demand that you show me respect!"

Their eyes were wide as they tried to get Kizashi off of Sakura, as they tried to make him stop, but nothing seemed to be working and their fear tripled when his large hands wrapped around her throat, making her entire face grow red from lack of oxygen almost instantly due to still being winded from the fall. Green eyes were impossibly wide as she writhed against the ground, her body trying to get away from the man who was causing her pain and around his wrists were bloody claw marks, with matching blood under her nails.

Gaara wrapped an arm around Kizashi's throat, tightening his hold and growling viciously in his ear, threatening him, but the man seemed to hear none of it, too focused on hurting Sakura.

"L-Let…" Sakura gasped, trying so very hard to breathe. "…go!"

His knee was suddenly pressing harshly onto her stomach and a horrible, strangled screech filled the air as the pressure increased. Tears were streaming down Sakura's red face and her screeches turned into gargled screams as the pressure continued to increase, relentlessly crushing her stomach.

"_Fucking let go!_" Gaara snarled, trying to yank the unmovable man away. What the fuck was this guy made of?

"You're just like your mother!" Kizashi spat into her face, leaning closer and seeming completely untroubled with Gaara's hold. "Letting pathetic little boys play with you. Both of you are nothing but dirty whores!"

Letting go of his wrist, Sakura tried making a fist and weakly beating his bicep.

It made Gaara and Lee both panic.

"Lee! Go and find Sasuke and tell him to hurry the fuck up!"

"Are you sure, Gaara-kun?" Lee grunted, incredibly frustrated that he couldn't find an opening to hit Kizashi without harming Sakura. One wrong move and the man could snap her neck. "Will you be able to–"

"_Go_!"

He had _never_ seen Gaara so angry before.

Tightening his hold around Kizashi's neck, Gaara tugged once more and finally, _finally_ grabbed the man's attention.

"Fuck off, brat," he yelled, not even looking at him. "I'm teaching the bitch a lesson!"

"She's your daughter," Gaara snarled in response. "Not your punching bag!"

His face was flushing red now, the redhead noticed, his eyes widening. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed his own arm, pulling it impossibly tighter around Kizashi's neck until the man finally gasped for breath.

It still wasn't enough.

By now Sakura's wide eyes were bloodshot and her face was turning purple, much to Gaara's horror, but it only made him more determined to save her. He had to.

"Sakura–"

Gaara didn't focus on the three males who burst back into the living room, though was thankful that Sasuke and Itachi hadn't been too far from the apartment. He needed all the help he could get, even though he didn't like to admit it. This man was a beast.

But then the sound of a muted thud attracted all of their attention, forcing them to freeze in their places and watch in horror.

The fist that had been weakly beating against Kizashi's arm stopped, dropping to the ground motionlessly.

* * *

**A/N - Since Breath of Life is now finished, Saviour will be posted the next time I update! Once again, I want to thank you all for your kind and encouraging reviews. They have definitely been encouraging me to continue with my writing.**


	23. It's Over

**Chapter 23 – It's Over**

The moment Sakura stopped moving, Kizashi released her and not even a second later, Gaara was yanking him off her, slamming him down into the ground and keeping him pinned there, using all of his weight to keep him down.

However, to Sasuke, it was all in slow motion. All he could see was Sakura. She looked so fragile and so broken. She looked so vulnerable and innocent. He couldn't see Gaara keeping Kizashi down. He couldn't hear Lee ringing for an ambulance. He couldn't see Itachi rushing over to Sakura and gingerly feeling her neck or checking her breathing.

All… All he could do was stand there.

"She's not breathing," Itachi murmured and lowered his ear to her chest, listening carefully. Relief flooded him when he heard the weak beating of her heart.

Raising a hand, he gently massaged her throat and tilted her head back to open the air way, angered that he could already see bruises forming around her neck. That man… He was clearly somebody who was skilled in fighting. Martial arts, maybe. Or boxing. Whatever it was, it made him dangerous. He closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them and leaning forward, pinching Sakura's nose shut before he was pressing his lips to hers, forcing the air from his lungs into hers. Her heart was still beating, but she wasn't breathing. Itachi was no medic, so he had no idea what to do in such a situation. All he knew was CPR.

Sasuke finally moved, falling to his knees beside Sakura. However, that was all he was able to do.

Ignoring his younger brother, Itachi watched Sakura's chest rise while keeping her head tilted back and her chin lifted. He pulled away after a moment and watched as her chest fell before going back to pressing his lips to hers, forcing her to breathe.

Dark eyes stayed locked on Sakura's face, his eyebrows mashing together as he watched Itachi start with the chest compressions, counting under his breath with each one.

"They will be here shortly," Lee informed them and threw the phone onto the sofa. "What do we do with Kizashi-san?"

Pure rage washed over him.

Not even a moment later and Sasuke was lunging towards Gaara and Kizashi, knocking the former away and ignoring the latter's yell of pain as his arm was broken as a result of the restraining hold being broken. All Sasuke could see was how fragile and innocent Sakura looked. All he could see was the fear that had shown in her eyes when Kizashi first burst into the apartment.

His fist came down without hesitation, the other clenching in his shirt and holding him down.

"That should be _you!"_ he snarled, bringing his fist down once more. "You should be the one unconscious!" Another punch and blood splattered across the wooden flooring. "You should be the one _not breathing!"_ Another punch, more blood. "You–"

Two arms locked under his, yanking Sasuke away from Kizashi and holding him in a full nelson. "Calm down, Uchiha," Gaara growled, tightening his hold when Sasuke tried to break out of it. "Think about Sakura and not your anger."

"She's–"

"Breathing," Itachi interrupted, leaning over Sakura with his hands on each side of her head and releasing a shaky breath. Who knew CPR could exhaust you so much? "Sakura-san is breathing."

Sasuke tried to turn, tried to see her, but it wasn't until Gaara turned them around that he was able to and seeing her chest rising and falling without the help of Itachi, who was now leaning back though staying by her side in case he needed to start CPR once more…

His eyes closed and he relaxed against Gaara's hold. "Thank you, Nii-san."

He shook his head, silently telling him that there was no need to thank him before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his phone, ringing the station immediately.

"Shisui, I need you to come to Haruno Mebuki-san and Sakura-san's home. I'm sure you remember where it is?" There was a pause as Itachi listened to the reply. "Yes, apartment number forty-three." Another pause. "Assault. Attacker is Haruno Kizashi, Sakura-san's father. I have yet to listen to what happened but Sakura-san is currently unconscious and we are waiting for an ambulance." Yet another pause. "Yes, Kizashi-san is currently being restrained and will not be leaving any time soon." This pause lasted longer than the others. "Thank you, Shisui. I will see you in a few."

As soon as the phone was put away, Itachi looked over to Lee and Gaara. "Keep Kizashi-san restrained. Sasuke, stay here with Sakura-san. I need you to keep an eye on her breathing. If she stops, tell me immediately and I will continue with CPR." They were all moving in an instant, following Itachi's orders without hesitation. Once they had, he stood up and moved in front of Kizashi, who now seemed to be much calmer, though was warily keeping his arm still. "Usually, it is best not to question those who are to be arrested until they are being interviewed or have been read their rights. However, I have just one question."

When all Kizashi did was stare up at him from his position on the floor, the Uchiha's eyes narrowed a fraction. "What was going through your mind to try and kill your own daughter?"

"Not just her, Nii-san," muttered Sasuke from behind him, though he never took his eyes off Sakura's face. "He broke Hyuuga Hinata's wrist and she has a head wound. Naruto's taken her to the hospital."

"And when they were together, Kizashi used to beat Mebuki," Gaara added with a snarl.

Silence.

Lee and Gaara glanced up at Itachi's features and were stunned to see so much hatred in his eyes. Every Uchiha they'd ever met, even the older brother until that moment, had been blank and seemingly emotionless. They refused to show how they were feeling inside. But right now, in front of them all, Itachi was wearing his emotions for them all to witness.

And he was pissed.

"I once told my father that Sakura-san's relationship with you is none of our concern unless it is made our concern." Itachi knelt in front of Kizashi, his features once more becoming blank and serious and so very intimidating. "You have now made it my concern. Sakura-san is very dear to my brother, therefore dear to our family. By harming her, you have made enemies of the Uchiha family."

Narrowing his eyes, he leaned closer and the hatred that poured out of his body seemed to attack Kizashi in waves, suffocating him and drowning him all at the same time. "I am very protective of my family and friends, Kizashi-san and I like to think of Mebuki-san as a friend. How you could raise your hand to such a kindhearted woman is beyond me, but just know that it will all come back to you once you are locked away for your crimes."

With that, Itachi stood up once more and walked away, refusing to even look at the monster who was slouched onto the ground.

And Sasuke understood why his brother was taking the attack so personally. Like Sakura felt with bullies, Itachi felt very strongly about domestic violence. Not just women being beaten by their partners, but also men being beaten by their partners. He also felt that way about child abuse. There was nothing he hated more than cowards who preyed on the weak and defenceless. If he got it his way, and Sasuke had a very strong feeling that he would, then Kizashi would be locked away for a very long time.

"Attempted murder," he suddenly murmured, seeming to be talking to himself as he looked around the destroyed living room. "Assault. Breaking and entering." A humourless smirk pulled at Itachi's lips and he looked to the picture on the wall of Sakura and Mebuki together. "I am going to make sure you get everything you deserve and more, Kizashi-san. Life, from this day forward, will be a living hell for you."

* * *

When Shisui arrived, there were two other officers with him, the sight of one of them making Lee's eyes go wide with surprise, though he thankfully didn't say anything while he was on duty. Questions could be asked later but right now, they had to take care of the mess that had been made.

"What happened?"

Accepting the handcuffs, since Itachi himself had been off duty, he knelt beside Gaara, who was once more pinning a clearly beaten up Kizashi down with all his weight. The older man's face was being squashed into the ground and below his face were a couple of small pools of his own blood.

"He attempted to escape." Once the handcuffs were on, he pointed over in Sakura's direction. "Did you contact the ambulance?"

"Yes," Shisui replied and once Gaara was off of Kizashi, he yanked the man to his feet. "They're currently trying to get the stretcher up the stairs, since the elevator is broken. They asked that you do not move Sakura-chan if she is still unconscious."

Just as the words left his lips, one of the paramedics entered the apartment and went straight to Sakura, pausing to allow Sasuke the time to get out of the way. He instantly got to work, gently examining her neck to make sure there were no broken bones.

"Well?" Sasuke couldn't help but demand, watching the medic with a scowl. "Is she going to be okay?"

"I can't tell you much here," the medic replied calmly, never taking his eyes off Sakura as he continued to work over her. "She must go to the hospital for a few scans and x-rays, just to make sure nothing _is_ broken or cracked. As well as this, Haruno-san must have a laryngoscopy."

"Which means?" Gaara pushed, suddenly appearing behind Sasuke.

"It is the evaluation of her vocal chords and trachea." Reaching for his radio, he brought it closer to his mouth, speaking to somebody who was on the other end.

As he did, Sasuke took a deep breath, willing the shake to leave his hands. Useless. He'd been useless. Why the hell had he let Sakura talk him into leaving? Itachi could have found the apartment by himself. Then again, it would have taken him longer. And knowing his luck, Sasuke wouldn't have made even the slightest of changes. Anything too rough and Kizashi could have broken her neck.

The thought had bile rising in his throat.

"Come, Sasuke," muttered Gaara when the other paramedics arrived with the stretcher. "We're in the way."

It was reluctantly that he allowed Gaara to take him away from Sakura and it was just as reluctantly that he watched as they eased Sakura onto the stretcher, strapping her in tightly to make sure she was in securely. Going down the stairs with that thing was going to be hell and just the thought of it had his stomach in knots, but Sasuke knew not to argue. They were trained professionals and they all seemed fairly strong. It was their duty to protect and heal Sakura, not add to her injuries.

"Has anybody contacted Sakura-san's mother?" one of the other officers asked, raising a silver eyebrow.

Lee was the one who answered, frowning as he did so, "We hadn't thought about it, Kakashi-sensei. Should I–"

"I think I should be the one to make that call," Shisui cut him off.

Barely, Sasuke held back the urge to run his hands through his hair. To do so would show his anxiousness, his fear. With that monster Kizashi still in the apartment, he refused to show any signs of weakness. He would look strong for Sakura, who had been so strong for herself despite her intense fear of the man. He would be strong for her now.

After taking a deep breath to control his anger, Sasuke turned after the paramedics. "I'm going with her."

One of the paramedics frowned, glancing over at him. "Are you a relative?"

His eyes narrowed. "I'm her boyfriend."

"You–"

"Please." Shisui sighed and stepped behind Sasuke, patting his shoulder. "He will not be in your way, as Sasuke wants nothing more than for Sakura-chan to be treated. On the other hand, if he was to stay here, then I know Sasuke would get in our way. His anger towards Kizashi-san should not be pushed."

There was a short pause where the three paramedics exchanged glances but not long after, the one who seemed to be in charge nodded.

Sasuke was careful to stay out of their way as they picked up the stretcher after once more securing the straps.

* * *

"You're lucky you're a Hyuuga, Hinata!" Naruto smiled as they entered the reception area. "You got seen to so quickly."

She blushed at his words. It wasn't all good. It was because of being a Hyuuga that the doctors had fought so hard to keep her in longer than necessary. There was no need for that, though. Even Neji had explained that to the doctors, saying that they had medical staff at the mansion who would be more than capable of keeping an eye on her. Keeping Hinata in the hospital would be a waste of a bed, a bed that somebody could seriously need.

As for her broken wrist… Well, she was very glad for the strong painkillers they had given to her. Never before had Hinata ever suffered with a broken bone. Actually, the worst injury she'd ever had was a few scratches and bruises. She was from a sheltered home, after all. Besides being trained in martial arts, she was protected fiercely.

"Your father will want to know everything that happened, Hinata-sama," Neji stated coldly. "Whether that man is your friend's father or not will not matter–"

"Sakura-chan won't care about _that,_" Naruto's voice was just as cold and his eyes were just as hard as Neji's.

"Can we–"

Hinata was cut off when Neji suddenly grabbed her uninjured wrist and yanked her to the side, just in time for the double doors to slam open and a bed to be rolled in hurriedly. The paramedics were speaking quickly to the doctors rushing over to them, but it all sounded like muted noise.

A young woman who was clearly still in her pyjamas, Naruto noticed after a moment. She looked so small and fragile, so broken. There were a few red marks on her body and a couple of scratches on her bare legs, the red marks waiting to turn a deep purple and there was blood under green nails.

Wait, green was–

"Sakura-san!" Hinata cried out in horror.

Naruto was just as horrified when he saw the pink hair.

"Sakura-chan…" he murmured, unable to find his voice.

And then somebody else was bursting through the double doors, following after the stretcher quickly but was stopped from going any further by one of the doctors.

"I'm sorry, Uchiha-san, but you are not an immediate relative of Haruno-san's. You will have to wait in the waiting area."

He looked ready to argue, looked absolutely livid, but Neji was quick to grab his arm and pull him away, apologising quietly to the doctor on Sasuke's behalf. When they returned to Hinata and Naruto, the latter couldn't help but throw question after question at him, once more finding his voice and demanding to know what the hell happened to his Sakura-chan.

"I had to go and help Itachi," muttered Sasuke, his eyes fixed on the doors Sakura had just gone through. "When I came back, Kizashi had her pinned to the ground. His…" He took a deep breath, willing the nauseating feeling to leave him alone for just a minute. "He had his hands around her throat and then… Then Sakura was passing out. She just stopped moving."

Tears slipped silently down Hinata's cheeks and the overwhelming dizziness returned, making her sway in her place. Neji helped her to stand, watching her with hidden worry.

"You should go home, Hinata-sama," he told her seriously.

"But Sakura-san wouldn't–"

"Haruno wouldn't want you risking your health for her sake," Neji cut her off, his eyes narrowing a fraction. "She is a selfless person, Hinata-sama and has always put you before herself. I will take you home and you will rest. After you have rested, I will personally bring you back to the hospital." His eyes then trailed after Sasuke's line of vision, watching the doors. "I have a feeling Haruno will be in there for a while."

Sasuke's eyes immediately snapped to his, the fury in them so very obvious. "What makes you say that?"

The blond by their sides put his hand on the Uchiha's shoulder, levelling him with a serious look. "Don't go picking fights, Sasuke," Naruto warned. "Sakura-chan doesn't need that kind of stress."

Before Sasuke even had the chance to reply, the doors behind them were once more smashing open, slamming harshly against the walls and the blonde who entered was _livid_ as she glanced around the reception area, terrifying the receptionist when she stormed straight over to her.

"Where the hell is my apprentice?"

"Y-You're apprentice, T-Tsunade-sama?"

"Haruno Sakura," she snapped. "Pink hair. Kind of hard to miss."

Tsunade! Naruto let go of Sasuke, watching in awe as the woman at the reception desk pointed shakily over at the doors on the right and without pause, Tsunade rushed over to them, entering without permission and putting herself to use right away.

"That's–"

"Tsunade-baa-chan." Naruto beamed. "You see that, Sasuke? Baa-chan won't let anything happen to Sakura-chan! She'll make sure she gets the best care."

Reluctantly, Sasuke nodded. He wouldn't admit it, but he was in awe of the woman. According to Sakura, she'd taken the flight after her and Gaara and he was so grateful for that. She'd personally asked Sakura to be her apprentice, instead of it being the other way around like the latter had thought it would be, so it was obvious Tsunade would do what she could to protect and help Sakura.

After a short pause, Naruto looked over to Hinata with a frown. "Are you going to be okay, Hinata?"

She gave him a small smile. "I wish I could stay here for Sakura-san, but Neji-nii-san is right. I won't be of much use if I am barely awake." There was another pause as Hinata regarded Sasuke for a moment. "There is no telling how long Sakura-san will be here for, so please ask Mebuki-san to contact me when she has spoken to a doctor. When I return, I will collect some of Sakura-san's things for her."

He nodded silently.

"Do you want me to stay here?" asked Naruto. "You don't look too good."

Of course he didn't look good, Sasuke inwardly growled. His girlfriend had just been strangled by her insane father. Her own father had almost killed her and he hadn't been able to protect her and–

"Don't dwell on it too much, Sasuke," Neji warned him quietly. "Those thoughts will only make you feel worse about what has happened. The main thing is that Haruno will be in the best care here. The chances of this causing any permanent damage are slim."

Since when was he a fucking doctor? Instead of voicing his thoughts, Sasuke nodded once and then looked to Naruto. "You don't need to stay here. I'm going to wait for Mebuki."

Naruto sighed but accepted Sasuke's words, patting his shoulder on his way to the exit, following Hinata and Neji. "Call me if anything changes, won't you?"

"Yeah."

* * *

How much time had gone by?

Glancing up at the clock on the wall opposite him, Sasuke felt his patience dripping further and further away from him. It had been over an hour now. Due to not being an immediate family member, he'd been ordered to wait in the waiting area. The doctors wanted to run tests and send Sakura down for a few scans. Again, they couldn't share too much information with him. Complete and utter bullshit, if you asked him. He was her boy–

The sight of blonde hair and wide, worried green eyes had Sasuke pushing aside his anger and he stood up to meet Mebuki halfway. However, she completely stunned him by pulling him into a fierce embrace.

"Please forgive me," she whispered harshly, gritting her teeth. "I had no idea he would be able to get into the building, let alone our home…" Mebuki swallowed back a sob and tightened her hold. "I'm so sorry you had to get involved with him. I'm so sorry he's put you through all of this. And Sakura. Where is she?" She pulled back to look at him, trying her best to push aside her tears though they only continued to fall at the look of pure distress on his face. "Sasuke-kun, where's–"

"Are you Haruno Sakura's mother?"

Mebuki released Sasuke and looked over at the other blonde, nodding quickly. "I am. Are you–"

"I'm Senju Tsunade," she informed them both and held out her hand, shaking Mebuki's firmly. "I asked for somebody to inform me of your arrival the second you got here, so that I could fill you in on everything we're doing or what's happened. Did they tell you much over the phone?"

She shook her head and bit her lip, glancing down at Sasuke. "No. All I was told was that Sakura's in the hospital, as is Hinata-chan… How are they both? Are they okay?"

Tsunade also looked to Sasuke. "You're her boyfriend, right? The one who flew all the way to Suna just to spend a couple of days with her?"

Something in his chest clenched. During that short weekend, they'd been so carefree and so caught up in one another. Problems such as her abusive father hadn't mattered to them in the least. "I am."

She sighed. "Both of you should take a seat–"

"No," Mebuki argued, cutting her off. "Take us to see my daughter."

She was including him? Sasuke barely held back the grateful expression, keeping his hard eyes on Tsunade's. She didn't look to be giving in any time soon, though and if he remembered Sakura's description on her correctly, then she was definitely no pushover.

"Sakura's said a lot about you," he suddenly murmured. "So there's no use in arguing with you. But… There's no use in arguing with Mebuki, either. If you can't allow me to see Sakura, then at least let her. She's her daughter."

Once again, Tsunade sighed and shut her eyes, rubbing her temples. "Right now, we're just waiting on the results. Most have come back negative for permanent damage–"

"Permanent damage?" Mebuki's voice had gone up an octave. "What the hell did he do to her?"

"They really didn't tell you much." She seemed stunned by the news, but was quick to fix her composure and a second later, Tsunade was gesturing for them both to follow her to a more private waiting room. There were no watchful, nosy eyes surrounding them now. "Sakura suffered quite a few injuries, but the one that worried us most was the one that caused her unconsciousness as well as caused her to stop breathing."

It seemed Mebuki herself had stopped breathing at that moment in time and her face had paled terribly, to the point where it looked as though she was about to pass out.

"I don't know for sure what happened, as I haven't had the chance to speak to the ones who were there, but from what I can tell, it looks like Sakura was strangled."

When two sets of eyes moved to him, Sasuke reluctantly nodded. "I went to meet Itachi," he recalled unwillingly, trying to ignore the vicious twisting of his stomach. It felt like he wanted to be sick. "We called him the moment we had an opening after Kizashi broke in. When I returned, he was on top of Sakura with his knee pressing into her stomach, choking her."

Mebuki fell back into one of the chairs, shaking as she sobbed into her hands.

The sound pained him more than he ever thought it would.

After only a brief pause, Tsunade sat by Mebuki's side and placed a hand on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. "I will personally be taking care of your daughter, Mebuki. You have my word not only as a doctor, but also as her shishou: I will not let anything happen to her."

The words were spoken fiercely, with a great emotion that Sasuke couldn't even begin to understand, but it seemed to comfort Mebuki because she calmed by the smallest amount, wiping away her tears and nodding quickly.

"Sakura's resting right now," Tsunade told her more quietly. "I can bend a few rules though and grant you both access to the ward she's on. Just give me a moment and wait here until I return."

The other woman let out a deep, shaky breath and once again nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

She hadn't known her all that long, but it was safe to say that Haruno Sakura had gotten under her skin, to the point where it felt like Tsunade hadn't been able to breathe when she heard the news.

It was Jiraiya who rang her, telling her that Sakura was being rushed to the hospital. Where he'd gotten the information from, she'd never know, although she had a strong feeling that it was Uchiha Itachi who told him. Either way, Tsunade was grateful for being told because the second she was, she was out of her apartment and rushing to the hospital, frantic to help her.

That man… Damn it. She should have known something like this would happen.

"Sakura," Tsunade sighed, pushing the hair off her face. "You're going to be okay. I'll make sure of it."

On her hospital bed, with the heart monitors and other machinery around her, Sakura looked so young and fragile. Already, dark and vicious looking bruises were marring her otherwise pale and unblemished skin and the sight of them made Tsunade feel sick. The ones around her neck were the worst, though.

And then the beeping was picking up and Tsunade could tell from years of experience that Sakura was waking up, so she was quick to assist her before going back to stroking her hair, making sure the action was comforting and soothing. Like she had been expecting: green eyes shot open and widened before Sakura let out a strained whimper, shaking with obvious fear as she attempted to look around the hospital room, trying to figure out where she was.

"Calm down, Sakura," Tsunade spoke soothingly, meeting her eyes with a softened look. "You're safe now."

"W-Where… Wh–"

"Don't speak," she ordered quietly. "You need to rest for now. The others are all safe, too. That man has been arrested. Your mother and boyfriend are in the waiting room."

Slowly, she tried to nod, doing her best to breathe deeply even though her throat was aching horribly.

And then tears were filling her eyes, even though it was obvious she was trying to hide them.

"It's okay," Tsunade whispered, trying to keep her own composure. Seeing such an innocent, pure girl in such a state… "It does no good to bottle things up, Sakura. Just cry if that's what you need to do."

So she did.

And Tsunade did her best to comfort her as she let out silent sobs.


	24. I Don't Want To Be Like Him

**Chapter 24 – I Don't Want To Be Like Him**

Sighing, Sasuke pulled out his phone as Mebuki and Tsunade left the waiting room. It was only fair that he gave the former some time alone with her own daughter and part of him… Part of him was wary of seeing Sakura. According to the doctor, she was awake now though wasn't able to talk due to the pain of her throat.

He'd failed her. It was plain and simple. Instead of protecting her like he should have done, Sasuke had instead left her with that man and returned to find her–

Those thoughts were shut down as he found the name of the person he needed to contact.

It only rang twice.

"_Hello?"_

Even on the phone, she sounded anxious. "I just called to tell you Sakura's awake, but will have to stay here for a couple of days."

There was a sigh of relief. "_Thank you for letting me know, Sasuke-kun. Is there anything Sakura-san needs?"_

He thought about it and remembering what she had told him last night, when he had made a move, the tips of Sasuke's ears began to burn. Would the hospital provide her with those things? Or did she have to get her own? Did Mebuki know and had she anything Sakura could use?

"_Sasuke-kun?"_

Sasuke took a deep breath. "Aside from the obvious, Sakura also needs tampons, Hinata."

Silence.

It dragged on for quite a while, leading him to believe that Hinata had possibly fainted, that his mentioning of Sakura's menstrual cycle was too much for her. Thankfully, she replied moments later.

"_O-Okay. I'll try to be there as soon as possible."_

"Do you know where to find her things?"

"_Yes. Gaara-kun will have Sakura's keys to the apartment for now, since he is temporarily staying there. If I can't find something, I will just purchase some for her on the way to the hospital. I can remember what type she needs."_

Girls had a type of tampon they needed? Sasuke's face threatened to scrunch up. And Hinata _knew_ Sakura's type? Why? Did girls talk about stuff like that? There had been hesitancy in Sakura's eyes when she told him she was on her period, but other than that, she'd been comfortable. Maybe periods just didn't bother either of them? Or maybe there'd been circumstances before when one of them needed supplies, and the other had spares or purchased some for them? Sasuke slapped down that train of thought. It wasn't something he wanted or needed to think about.

"_How does she seem?"_

Not for the first time, Sasuke sighed and glanced at the door. It had been left open. "I haven't seen her yet. Tsunade said that she can't talk for a few days due to…"

When he trailed off, he heard Hinata's shaky breathing on the other line. It sounded like she was crying. "_Please tell her that I'm thinking of her and I'll be there as soon as possible. Would you like me to inform the others?"_

"Yes. But you need to rest, too," he argued quietly, though wishing Hinata would be there for Sakura. His girlfriend would need her friends around her. "Neji–"

"_I-I don't care about any orders,"_ came her stuttered reply, like she was forcing those words out. "_Not from my doctor or my family, Sasuke-kun. Sakura-san is very dear to me."_

Sasuke didn't bother to argue with her. Even though he knew how forceful Hyuuga Hiashi could be, due to the man's clashes with his own father, it would mean a lot for Sakura to have Hinata there.

"I'm sure she's anxious to see how you are."

"_I'll be there soon_."

And then she hung up, completely surprising Sasuke.

Like back in the apartment, her voice had been serious and her words had been blunt and to the point. No doubt it was because he mentioned Sakura could be feeling anxious. Sakura had once told him that Hinata was very protective of her friends and would do anything to ease their pain or worry. Maybe anxious had been the wrong word to use?

He shoved the phone back into his pocket after switching it off. Itachi had already told him that he would tell their parents about what happened, so Sasuke was expecting them to come bursting into the hospital soon. No doubt his mother would be the one waving pools of anger and hatred much more strongly than his father and not only because her youngest son had been in danger. It would be for Sakura, especially if Itachi told them what had been done to her.

Taking a deep breath, he left the waiting room and followed the directions Tsunade had given him, going straight to the ward Sakura was on.

And when he arrived onto the ward, Sasuke had to swallow back his distaste. They'd placed her with a load of other people instead of giving Sakura her own private room. Why? Sure, it cost more, but…

The colour of her hair caught his eyes and all thoughts evaporated.

Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek harshly at the sight of her. Sakura was laying back on the hospital bed, listening to what her mother was saying to her. It hurt him seeing her like that. So pale and fragile. She had never looked more breakable than she did at that moment and it _hurt him_. His girlfriend was not a weak woman. She was not fragile. You were more likely to be crushed by her than it being the other way around, even if you were twice the size of her (considering how dainty she was, pretty much everyone was bigger than her).

The guilt that had been swirling in his chest felt like it exploded to new heights and he had an awful urge to turn around and leave.

But no.

He would not run.

Not when Sakura needed him.

He strode forward without focusing on anyone or anything and as soon as there was movement out of the corner of her eye, he saw Sakura's eyes snap to his, widening a fraction before softening. The look of relief on her face was so strong that it stung him. Why had she been worried about him? She was the one laying in a hospital bed!

Instead of coming to a stop at the end of her bed, Sasuke walked over to her and leaned down, kissing the top of her head. And then her cheek. The other cheek. Her nose. Her forehead. Her chin. Her lips. He didn't stop until every inch of her beautiful, beautiful face had been kissed.

When he pulled away, she smiled up at him tiredly. "Hey–"

"No talking, Sakura," her mother warned her, making Sasuke's cheeks burn when he remembered belatedly that she was sat there. Of course he'd seen her before making his way over to Sakura, but it was like everything else faded away the second those stunning apple green eyes met his. "Remember what Tsunade-sama said."

She looked reluctant while very faintly nodding at Mebuki's warning, making Sasuke smile. His girlfriend had always been so stubborn.

"You're not in any pain, are you?" asked Sasuke quietly, only barely leaning back so that he wasn't crowding her.

All she could do was smile sadly at him and he cursed himself. Of course. She wouldn't be able to properly shake her head or anything with that neck brace on. Why was she even wearing one? Surely Kizashi's attack on her hadn't been that strong? Had he caused damage to her spine?

"It's–"

"Sakura," Mebuki's voice was sharp, serious. "_Stop talking_." Then, she sighed, looking up at Sasuke. "Tsunade-sama said that it looks worse than it actually is. It's all just a precaution until all of the results return."

Relief almost overwhelmed him.

Looking behind himself for a second, Sasuke sat down in a chair and took Sakura's left hand. It was difficult blocking out the moaning and groaning of the other patients, who were suffering just as much. Perhaps he should have a word with his father, especially if Sakura would be staying in the hospital for a couple of days. She needed her sleep and with the racket coming from the others, he knew that she wouldn't get much of it.

"Hinata will be coming by later with some of your things." Sakura's eyes widened at his words and he knew what was bothering her. "She's fine. Broken wrist and a concussion, but they released her as soon as she was treated."

Mebuki gasped at his words, paling horribly and raising a shaking hand to her mouth. "Hinata-chan's wrist…?"

Sasuke shut his eyes, trying to ignore her horrified expression. He knew that the look on his own face mirrored Sakura's too. That crack… It was still playing in his mind. Over and over again. It was such a sickening sound and then her cry of pain… He opened his eyes again, but they didn't move from Sakura's bed. "Kizashi snapped it when she fought back."

Realising that her pain was adding to Sakura's, Mebuki quickly stood up and excused herself, dashing out of the ward.

In her absence, Sasuke tightened his hold on Sakura's hand, his thumb stroking her knuckles. "Shisui's going to be the one who takes your statement," he informed her, the silence bugging him for some reason. "But that won't be until you can talk again." A pause. Her eyes saddened on him when Sasuke's eyebrows mashed together. "I miss your voice," he breathed. "Sakura–"

She tugged on his hand and noticing that Sakura was wordlessly telling him to come closer, he did so, giving her a small, painful smile when she reached up for his head with her other hand. When she cupped his cheek gently, Sakura pulled his face down to hers, kissing him softly before turning Sasuke's head to the side, so that his ear was against her lips.

"I-I'm… sorry." Just as Sasuke was about to snap at her to stop talking, for her voice was so raspy and quiet that it was better not to hear it at all, Sakura continued, "I… I antagonised him. I p-pushed him and–"

"It wasn't your fault," he snarled in return, turning his head to the side to glare angrily at her. Their noses brushed due to their proximity, but it didn't bother him. It made his words more serious. "That bastard is a monster. He's–"

"Messed up," she croaked, wincing ever so slightly. "A-Anger issues… like–"

"Don't even finish that sentence. Your anger is nothing like his!" growled Sasuke, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "You–" He was pained when tears filled her eyes, making him lose all anger he felt towards her immediately. Instead, Sasuke once again kissed her, trying to take that pain away. "You're nothing like him, Sakura," he murmured quietly. "You can control yourself, unlike him."

"I love you," Sakura managed to whisper, swallowing as gently as she possibly could.

But her words seem to open some kind of dam, because tears were suddenly filling _his_ eyes and there was raw pain written all over his features. Seeing him in such a way, the way it made her chest feel, made the pain of her neck seem so pathetic in comparison.

"You nearly died," his voice was also nothing but a whisper and Sakura was stunned when a single tear dropped onto her cheek. "I-Itachi… He had to… He had to do CPR on you a-and you–" The agony on his features increased. "You were just… You were just _laying there_. You weren't moving. Weren't breathing. You–"

"Shush," hushed Sakura and her hand raised, entangling itself into the back of Sasuke's hair as she brought his head down to rest on her chest. Her voice sounded even worse with his ear pressed against her chest, but he could also hear the strong beating of her heart. It soothed him. "Please… D-Don't cry." Sakura stared up at the ceiling, harshly biting her lip to try and rein in her emotions. "Crying isn't going…" She attempted to swallow again. It hurt. "Isn't going to get us anywhere."

His breathing was shaky, but he was no longer sucking in large breaths of air, which somewhat comforted her. And even though she could feel the wetness of his tears soaking through her hospital gown, she knew he was calming down.

"I'm sorry." Sasuke gritted his teeth together and his eyes squeezed shut. "I'm sorry for not protecting you."

There was no stopping her own tears as Sakura continued to lovingly stroke his hair, to stare up at the ceiling. "Not… your fault."

"I love you, too," whispered Sasuke, wanting nothing more than to hold her against him, to kiss her until they were both dizzy from lack of oxygen, but he knew that he couldn't. Not until all of Sakura's scans and test results had returned and they knew it was safe to move her neck and spine. "I love you."

* * *

Mebuki's eyes saddened as Sakura lifted the covers and climbed in, silently snuggling up to her. And, just as silently, the older woman turned around and held her daughter tightly, comfortingly.

It had been two weeks since the attack and to allow Sakura the recovery time she so clearly needed, Mebuki took time off of work whenever possible and took care of everything and anything she possibly could. Unfortunately, that did not include the statement that Uchiha Shisui and Hatake Kakashi came to collect while she was still in hospital.

They had turned up only a day after she was put in there and Mebuki had fought _so hard_ to make them back off, to give Sakura time to recover first. However, she did not win the battle since Sakura was able to speak much more easily. Her results had come back clear, also. To give them both credit, they'd been very professional and as quick as possible, understanding that Sakura was still in pain despite being given the all clear for any permanent damage.

The thing that stayed with Mebuki the most, however, was how Sasuke had acted with Sakura. He refused to leave her side for more than five minutes at a time and tended to her every need. If Sakura needed a drink, he got her a drink. If she was hungry, then he personally fed her. If Sakura needed help to the bathroom, he was the one to walk her there.

It was heart warming and made Mebuki so very happy for her daughter.

"Another nightmare?"

Shakily, Sakura nodded.

She sighed in response. The nightmares hadn't started until Sakura left the hospital, until Sasuke no longer stayed with her for pretty much every minute of every day. He had such a calming effect on Sakura and was able to soothe her worries with just a simple gesture, such as holding her hand or kissing her forehead. It hurt Mebuki that she couldn't comfort her own daughter.

"Would you like for me to make you some tea?"

Sakura shook her head. "Gaara's sleeping. I don't want to wake him up, too."

Ah, Gaara. His apartment was ready and the furniture had all been delivered and set up, but he refused to leave just yet. Not until he knew for sure that Kizashi wasn't coming back. He was just as jumpy as Sakura could be and whenever there was a loud noise, his eyes never failed to go straight to his best friend, checking on her.

"Maybe…" Mebuki sighed, pressing her cheek to the top of Sakura's head. "Maybe we should think about Sasuke staying with us for a while. Just until you're feeling better."

Slowly, hesitantly, Sakura turned in her mother's arms so that she was facing her and thanks to the light outside that was shining through the window, she could see Mebuki's features.

"I don't think that will work, Mom," whispered Sakura.

There was an awful sinking feeling in her stomach. "Why do you think that?"

"Because…" Her voice went even quieter, to the point where Mebuki could barely hear her. "The nightmares… They aren't about what _he_ did to me. They're…" At the obvious difficulty with saying the words, Mebuki reached up and brushed her daughter's soft hair behind her ear. "They're about _me_. They're about our similarities."

That sinking feeling became much worse. "You're nothing like that man, Sakura. You're intelligent, passionate and caring. You wouldn't hurt a fly–"

But Sakura was shaking her head, choking back a sob. "I nearly broke Sasuke's hand one time, Mom." At her mother's gasp of shock, at the freezing of her hand, she continued, "Back before we were together. T-There was a-a debate and… And the pressure was all too much. He was… He was t-teasing me and everyone was watching and I…" This time, the sob could not be stopped. "I nearly broke his hand… when we had to shake hands." She shook her head, her features scrunching up with pain. "I don't want to hurt him. I don't want to hurt anyone!"

"And you won't," Mebuki hushed her, about to bring her daughter closer.

However, Sakura shook her head again, quickly trying to wipe away her tears. "Sasuke asked me to move in with him when we start college."

Silence.

"Because of our schedules, because we'd hardly get to see each other otherwise. But what if… What if I say yes and the pressure gets to be too much again? What if I lash out again?" Sakura gripped at the sheets between them with trembling hands, her knuckles turning white under the strain. "I… I love him, Mom. I don't want to hurt him like Dad hurt you."

Mebuki closed her eyes and seemed to take a deep breath, thinking something over. And when her eyes reopened and she looked at Sakura, there was a seriousness about her.

"You don't need my permission to move out, you know that," she stated slowly, carefully. It was like she was almost wary. "But before I have my say, or before you tell me what you told Sasuke-kun, I want you to do something for me."

Sakura frowned at her mother's serious and solemn features. Something was bothering her and had been since her father's latest attack. Maybe even before then. And it seemed she was finally about to find out what. She'd been too unsure to actually ask her. That and still slightly traumatised by what had happened. "What is it?"

"I want you to go and get some help," Mebuki told her and the seriousness never left her features for a second. "Professional help. I know I can't force you–"

"Okay."

When tears filled Sakura's eyes once more, her mother took her hand gently, kissing the back of it. "You know that you need the help."

She nodded, swallowing hard and whispering, "I don't want to be like him, Mom. I don't want to be angry all of the time."

Without another word Mebuki shifted forward and pulled her daughter into a comforting embrace, allowing her a few minutes to try and calm herself. "Not only for your anger, Sakura," she murmured once she felt Sakura calming. "I don't want you to be scarred by that man like I am. You're going to grow from this and not be held back by him any longer. I'll make sure of it."

"And… You're okay with it?" Sakura asked quietly, hesitantly. "You're okay with me moving out?"

"If Sasuke-kun makes you happy, if he somehow manages to comfort you and take away your pain, then yes. A thousand times yes. I don't want you to be suffering and it's hurting me so much that I can't be the one to help you heal." Mebuki took a deep breath, releasing it shakily. "Just promise that you'll visit me. And call. And text. Let me know how you're doing and whether or not you need me. The second you need me, I'll be there. I promise."

Sakura nodded, forcing back her tears. "What do I do?"

"About getting help?" replied Mebuki softly. Another nod. "We'll go and see your doctor tomorrow, unless you'd rather speak to somebody you know?"

An image of Tsunade flashed through her mind. Tall, proud and beautiful, radiating strength and superiority. Could Sakura really speak to such a woman? Could she really speak to the woman who was her shishou? Tsunade was no psychiatrist, but after speaking with her, Sakura knew she would be referred to one. Maybe she _should_ speak to Tsunade? That way, there'd be no secrets between them and the blonde would know all about her anger issues.

"Can we see Tsunade-sama?" Sakura asked after a few minutes. "I'd feel more comfortable with her."

Mebuki nodded and brought Sakura closer, kissing the top of her head. "Sleep, now. You need to rest."

"But–"

"I'll be here," she murmured and rubbed her daughter's back soothingly. "I'll do my best to fight away the nightmares for you."

* * *

Her sleep had been anything but peaceful, but Sakura did her best not to let it show, as Mebuki had tried so hard last night to comfort her, to help her.

The nightmares _had_ returned but thankfully, during the night, she and Mebuki had tossed and turned, eventually ending up on different sides of the bed, so her mother hadn't noticed when Sakura woke up and got out of bed, shaking and sweating.

After that, she had refused to go back to sleep and had instead stayed up the rest of the night playing an old video game. Funnily enough, it was the one she'd met _Avenger–S_ on, though neither of them had been on the game in quite a while. Also, due to how late it was, Sasuke was not online and there was no denying that her heart had sunk when she realised that.

Around five in the morning, there was a quiet knock on her bedroom door and only after an equally as quiet "come in" did the door open, revealing Gaara.

"I saw that your light was on."

She offered him a small smile and pulled her legs up, allowing him a seat at the bottom of her bed. "I couldn't sleep."

Without thinking twice about it, Gaara sat down, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he did so and the smile on Sakura's face softened. Seeing him when he was tired always brought a smile to her face because of how young and vulnerable he looked.

"Gaara?"

"Hm?"

After setting her laptop aside and sitting up, she frowned softly. "When you spoke to your doctor about being depressed, how did you… How did you bring it up?"

Instantly, she had his full attention. Gaara's eyes were on hers, his brow creasing ever so slightly and all exhaustion seemed to slip away. "You're getting help?" She nodded. "Just tell your doctor how you're feeling. They're there to help and I'm sure they've heard worse things before." Just as Sakura went to argue, he cut her off. "I know it's… daunting. I was reluctant to open up at all the first few times I went, but with Temari's pushing, I eventually explained to my doctor how I was feeling." There was a pause, one where he regarded her. "You'll feel better for it, Sakura."

"So you think I need help, too?" It wasn't an accusation. It was a question, one that was spoken softly and quietly.

Gaara sighed and leaned back against the wall. "Honestly? Yes, I do. Your anger is much worse than it was when we were thirteen, Sakura. I don't want you to end up doing something you'll regret all because of your anger taking over you."

Only a few seconds later and Sakura was shifting forward, laying her head on Gaara's lap and shutting her eyes tiredly when he began to run his fingers through her hair distractedly.

Their friendship had always been like this: comfortable. They could be themselves around each other without worrying about judgement or anything else of the sort. Hell, Sakura could ask Gaara to grab her a tampon or ask him something about sex and he wouldn't care. It was like that with Hinata, too – minus the sex question, of course. More than once, the two girls had been in a position such as the one Sakura and Gaara were currently in. It was just so relaxing and comforting, having your best friend there with you when you needed your friends the most.

"Thank you for staying longer."

Grabbing the pillow at the top of the bed, Gaara put it against the wall and leaned against it, resting his head back and shutting his eyes. "You would do the same and more if our roles were reversed."

That was true. She didn't even have to think about being there for him or any of her friends. It would just happen. "You could probably move into your apartment soon, though."

"Are you sure?" he asked after a beat of silence, opening his eyes and frowning down at her hesitant features. "I don't have to until you're feeling more comfortable being home."

She smiled and grabbed his free hand. "Sasuke's getting his own apartment when we start college–"

"And he's asked you to move in with him?" Sakura nodded. Gaara returned her gentle smile and continued running his fingers through her hair. "I'm happy for you, Sakura. It gives you the chance to start over – it'll be a place with no bad memories."

Again, she nodded and smiled. "I broke the news to my mom earlier. She's agreed that it's a good idea, but only if I get help before moving out."

The smile vanished from Gaara's features as he realised the meaning behind getting help. It was so she didn't end up harming Sasuke in the way Kizashi harmed Mebuki. He knew that just by the dimming smile on his best friend's face and it _angered_ him that she thought she was anything like that bastard. But no matter how many times Sakura had been told they were not the same, he knew that that fear remained within her. It probably always would, as sad as that was to admit.

"Get the help you need," he encouraged quietly. "Prove to him and yourself that you're nothing like him. You're better than him, so much better."

"I will."

"Try to sleep," murmured Gaara when Sakura yawned tiredly.

"I can't."

"Do you want me to contact Uchiha for you?"

As much as Gaara hated to admit it: he'd been wrong about Uchiha Sasuke. He truly had changed since the days where he ruthlessly ripped everything away from Sakura. Now, Sasuke did everything he could to protect Sakura, to make her happy and feel loved. It was still rather strange seeing them together and so in love, but Gaara could not deny that it made _him_ happy seeing such happiness in Sakura's eyes.

"It's too late–"

"He told you to message him any time you need him."

"But–"

Instead of listening to her, Gaara reached forward and grabbed her phone, inwardly smirking at the fact that Sakura didn't even try to stop him.

The phone only rang twice.

"_Is something wrong, Sakura?"_

He sounded just as exhausted as they did, like he hadn't gotten any sleep and as he noticed that, Gaara bit the inside of his cheek. Would Sasuke be able to drive safely in such a state of exhaustion? It would destroy Sakura if anything happened to him.

"It's Gaara. Are you able to come over?"

"_Why? Has something happened?"_ Thankfully, it sounded like Sasuke was getting out of bed. "_Where's Sakura?"_

"With me and no, nothing has happened. She just…" Gaara looked down at her, trying his best to mask his sadness at the state of her. "She needs you."

"_I'll text her when I've arrived. That way I won't wake Mebuki up using the buzzer."_

* * *

Half an hour later and Sasuke was snuggling up to her in her bed, much to Sakura's happiness.

Gaara had been the one to let him in, nodding his thanks to the Uchiha for driving so early in the morning, when he was clearly so tired. After watching Sasuke entering Sakura's bedroom and silently shutting the door behind himself, Gaara got dressed and was out the door, jogging to the dojo for an early morning workout.

"Nightmares," was all Sakura had to whisper as she felt Sasuke's arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her back to his front.

"I'm here now," murmured Sasuke in return, kissing the back of her head affectionately.

Sakura smiled softly and stroked one of his arms, wanting to return his loving hold somehow, though was too tired to turn around. "I spoke to my mom."

All exhaustion was immediately forgotten about. "About…?"

"Yeah." Her smile warmed when Sasuke turned her so that Sakura was laying on her back with him leaning over her. "She said she's fine with it, but on one condition."

Sasuke frowned and gently cupped his girlfriend's cheek. The troubled expression didn't suit her in the least. She was supposed to be smiling and happy. "What's the condition?"

"I need to speak to someone about my anger."

There was a second of silence. And then another. And another. Then, Sasuke couldn't help but grin down at Sakura. "I'll support you," he told her suddenly. "Every step of the way." Sakura smiled brightly at his enthusiasm. "I'm glad your mother's agreed to this."

"So am I," she replied honestly.

* * *

**A/N - So, I had a job interview this morning. I arrived half an hour before I was supposed to and they weren't ready for me, so I had to stand around awkwardly in the shop while they set up. Then, to make things so much better, when they asked me about myself and what motivates me, I went on a huge rant about _tidying_, of all things, because my mind had gone blank and I couldn't think of anything to say! I really liked my outfit, though. I should hear back tomorrow, the manager said.**

**Oh and we've taken in a kitten, too. She's like ten weeks old and was found on the streets, starving, has worms and is riddled with fleas. We're still trying to get rid of the worms and fleas, but we'd rather have our pets catch the fleas than let the kitten stay out on the streets. Right now, we're trying to decide whether or not we should have her. Our pets have accepted her (well most of them) and she seems really comfortable with us, so my mum's leaning more on the 'keeping' her side.**

**And I get my exam results on Thursday! I was supposed to get them last week, but college screwed up by trying to make us all get our results online. Just like I knew it would: the site crashed and nobody could see their results. They emailed us all with our results, but only gave me three of mine. Distinction star, pass and another pass. I get the rest of them on Thursday and I hope they're just as good!**

**Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter.**


	25. Feeling Grateful

**Chapter 25 – Feeling Grateful**

"As you can see, Uchiha-san, Haruno-san, this is a very spacious apartment. There are two bedrooms and the master has a three piece en-suite, as well as a four piece family bathroom and a balcony."

Sakura stared around at the apartment with wide eyes.

It was beautiful to say the least and it was decorated in such a way that it made her feel relaxed and comfortable (though it could do with repainting in some places). Nothing was too much, yet it wasn't plain or boring, either. It was just enough. Also, according to the real estate agent, they would be able to decorate the place if it wasn't to their liking. With the other apartments they'd been to see, they couldn't decorate those, since they would only be renting for now.

"The balcony doors can be located in the living area, which also opens up to a dining room." She gestured to the double glass doors on one side of the living room and then to the archway at the other side. "If you will please follow me."

They did so, following the agent closely with their fingers linked. It made Sakura feel so grown up and mature, having her own place with her boyfriend. Sure, they weren't buying it and until they both had stable jobs, his parents would be paying the rent and other bills, but that was beside the point. The point was, was that she was going to be living with Sasuke. They would be taking care of each other in _their_ apartment. Cooking, cleaning, washing… Boring chores, sure, but they seemed so… so _exciting_, because they were going to do them together. They were going to be living together!

Of course, Sakura knew she would feel completely different about the chores in less than a week of living with Sasuke. It was a good thing he had that need for everything to be clean.

It felt like time was passing quickly as they listened to the real estate agent going on and on about the different rooms, trying to make them seem greater than they actually were. Granted, Sakura thought the apartment was beautiful and she'd already made her mind up about it, but there was no need for the exaggeration. The view wasn't _that_ great and the wallpaper in the bedroom would need replacing as soon as possible.

Her hand itched to reach for her phone to call her mother. Mebuki had always been gifted in decorating homes.

"What do you think?" Sasuke asked quietly once the woman left them alone in the bedroom for a few moments. "This is the last apartment. After this, they're all homes."

A home would be much too big for them. Knowing her luck, they would move into the home and a family would be made homeless – or something of the sort. What they needed was a decently sized apartment. The homes were to be left for families who needed them – that was what they had agreed on before they even began to look at places.

"It could do with some serious redecorating." She raised her hand, feeling the wall for a moment. "This wallpaper's so old. It's no wonder it's beginning to peel off the walls."

"Well, she did say we can redecorate."

"I know. I'm just trying to think of _how_."

Sasuke frowned. "How?"

Nodding once, she rejoined him, once more taking his hand in hers and entwining their fingers. "Like, what colours? Carpet or wooden flooring? Wallpaper or just paint? Curtains or blinds or both?"

His eye twitched ever so slightly. "…I'll leave the decorating to you."

She couldn't help but laugh at him. "I'll have to recruit Hinata, my mom and yours."

Oh dear God. Sasuke made a mental note to be aware of _when_ they would all be redecorating, so that he could stay the hell away from the apartment until they were all gone. It wasn't that he didn't like any of them, because he did. It was just that he'd rather not be involved when they were all together.

"Uchiha-san? Haruno-san?" The voice was hesitant as the estate agent popped her head of dark hair around the door, smiling apologetically. "I don't mean to rush you both, but I have another young family waiting to be shown around."

Young family?

_Young family?_

This time, it was Sakura's eye that twitched, just like her hands as they clenched into fists. What the hell did she mean by that? Young family! She wanted to scoff. Did she _look_ pregnant to her? On second thought, it was best she didn't ask that, as Sakura was certain she wouldn't want to hear the answer.

Damn it. Why did young couples receive such labels? Sure, not all were careful, but she and Sasuke were. If they didn't have any condoms, then they would not have sex. It didn't matter how horny either of them were or how much they needed each other. No condom equals no sex.

Thankfully, Sasuke always carried one in his pocket as a _just in case._

"We'll take it," Sasuke answered before Sakura could explode with her anger and warningly, his hand (which was almost being crushed in her grip) squeezed hers. "Thank you."

The woman smiled warmly and bowed her head. "Then please, follow me."

Once more, she was leaving the room, giving Sasuke just enough time to look down at his fuming girlfriend.

It had been only a week since Sakura had decided to get help for her anger issues and she had yet to hear anything about the referral. She'd spoken to Tsunade, who had been more than understanding and helpful, but there was no rushing the health service. Until she heard back, Tsunade had suggested that Sakura tried breathing exercises, or if they didn't work, then excusing herself and walking away from the situation to take a breather.

"She didn't mean anything by it, Sakura."

"Like hell she didn't," she grumbled in response. "Because we're moving in together, she's automatically assuming that I'm pregnant. What's next? Is she going to put me down as 'Uchiha-san', too?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and smiled softly, bringing her closer so that her face was buried into his chest. "As tempting as making you officially mine sounds, I don't think either of us are ready for marriage just yet."

A raging blush took over her face and Sakura was grateful for the cover his chest gave her. "I wasn't proposing, you idiot. I'm just saying that she'll presume we're getting married, too."

He kissed the top of her head. "Don't take it so personally. We're not doing this because we have to. We're moving in together because we want to be with each other."

Some of her anger faded, though not enough to bring back her good mood. Damn it, she hoped the referral came back to her soon. "I suppose."

"Come on." Sasuke kissed her hair once more and pulled away, more or less dragging Sakura out of what was going to become their bedroom. Then, once the woman came into view, he raised his voice slightly. "What should we do with the second bedroom?"

Sakura's eyes widened a fraction, catching onto what her boyfriend was doing and a small, playful smile pulled at her lips. "I don't know. A gaming room? We can put the television from my old room in there and set up an old computer tower."

Dark eyes snapped to hers as Sasuke looked over his shoulder at her. "That's not a bad idea."

She laughed, not surprised in the least that the thought excited him. That was how they met (as _Avenger–S_ and _Fall–of–the–Blossom_), through online gaming. The second bedroom was a good size, big enough to fit a comfortable sofa bed in there. That way, should they ever have friends over, they could just pull the bed out like at her mother's place.

Her earlier excitement returned. Oh, she couldn't wait to start decorating.

"You're not using the second bedroom as a bedroom?" The woman tilted her head to the side. "I thought…"

Sakura's smile faded away and she raised a single eyebrow. "You thought?"

"It doesn't matter!" She waved dismissively and there was an embarrassed blush on her cheeks, matching her sheepish smile. "You'll have to excuse my assumptions – I have been viewing properties with many young couples and all of them were expecting. I just thought–"

"Well you thought wrong," Sakura cut her off and even though she was smiling, Sasuke knew that the smile was fake. It was forced. And very faintly, in his hold, her hand shook with the need to clench into a fist. "I'm not pregnant and I don't plan on getting pregnant until I have a stable job and I'm married." _Thank you very much._

"I didn't mean to cause any offence. Please forgive me." She bowed her head, her dark hair covering her face.

"We'll be in contact," Sasuke muttered, pulling Sakura out of the apartment. "But take this place off the market. We're definitely taking it."

There was no waiting for a reply. He didn't give her a chance to reply as he shook off his slippers and slid on his shoes, passing Sakura hers. She was also quick to switch shoes, thankful that she had chosen to only wear flats.

Once the door was shut behind them, Sasuke spun them around and caged Sakura in against the wall, raising a single, unimpressed eyebrow at her. Unlike her current apartment building, it wasn't an open hallway that doubled as a balcony. Sure, they could see the beautiful park opposite the building, but only through the windows.

"What happened to the breathing exercises?"

Green eyes quickly dropped from dark eyes. "I…"

Since her father's latest attack, he had noticed that it didn't take nearly as much as it used to, to anger Sakura. One sly remark, a simple dirty look and she would snap. They all knew it was because of the attack, that it was messing with her head, and Sasuke _agonised_ at the thought of her being unable to control herself. Why? Because it wasn't hard to see that it hurt Sakura that she couldn't control herself.

She needed to be reminded why it was important she kept up with the treatment, despite there being so very little of it at that moment in time.

"My hand is throbbing, Sakura." He lowered it from its place on the wall so that she could see and sure enough, his hand was an angry shade of red. "You–"

"I'm sorry!" She looked horrified and as her hands hesitantly raised for his, they shook. "I'm so sorry!"

"Don't be sorry," murmured Sasuke. He felt sick for causing her pain, but it was important to keep reminding her. That was what Tsunade had told him and Mebuki. "I love your freakish strength." She was too upset at the sight of his hand to react to his backwards compliment. "But when you get angry," He tipped her chin upwards so that Sakura would look him in the eye, focusing on him, "remember this and remember why it's important to keep calm."

Sakura nodded, still gently cradling his hand with both of hers. "I really am sorry, Sasuke."

"It's okay–"

"No, it's not!" She squeezed her eyes shut, raw pain flitting across her features. "I _hurt_ you!"

The hand gently holding her chin slipped over her shoulders, bringing Sakura against him in a comforting, one-armed embrace. "It hurts you bottling it all up," Sasuke stated just as quietly. "That's what you told Tsunade, Sakura. _It hurts you."_

"I don't care," she argued, pulling back to get a look at his face. "I'd rather be in pain than hurt you."

There was no use in arguing with her. He sighed and took a step back, once more linking his fingers with Sakura's. "Come on, our mothers will want to know that we've chosen a place."

* * *

"And that's the final touch!"

Mikoto and Mebuki smiled warmly at one another, proud of all their hard work, whereas Sakura grinned over at Hinata, who smiled shyly in response.

Since the rent wasn't nearly as much as they'd originally thought it would be, Sasuke's parents had given them some (a ridiculous amount of) money to redecorate – not that Sakura was complaining. She was so grateful for their kindness. And whenever she could, Mebuki also gave them money towards setting the apartment up, even if all she could afford were small furnishings or items for the kitchen.

Four days had gone by since she and Sasuke decided on the apartment and only a day later, Mikoto had been ordering an insane amount of furniture for them, going off the ideas Sakura had told her about. It wasn't too different and it didn't stand out greatly, but it looked so much better than it previously did and it felt so much more like home.

"When will Sasuke-kun be joining us?"

Sakura sighed at her mother's question and placed her hands on her hips. "He said he wanted to stay out of the way, so it's more than likely that he's hiding out at Naruto's playing video games. I doubt he'll be joining us any time soon."

"Then I wish to treat you all to dinner, for a job well done." Mikoto smiled warmly. "We have been working tirelessly over the past few days."

"Are you sure, Mikoto-san?" asked Mebuki softly as she frowned. "You have already done so much for Sakura–"

"For my son, also," she cut her off quietly, though the smile never faltered. If anything, it warmed. "I am doing this for our children, Mebuki-san. However, right now, I wish to treat the three of you for doing such a good job with the decorating. It's impossible finding others who think in the same way as I do when it comes to designs and decorating."

"Well, I at least want to buy the drinks." There was no backing down from the blonde.

Mikoto chuckled at her stubbornness, though nodded once in agreement. "Of course. I know this beautiful little place that serves the best tempura."

* * *

Everything was unpacked. The kitchen was fully stocked. Music was playing loudly and the apartment was filled with their friends and family.

Somewhere between that moment in time and her father's attack, Naruto finally confessed his feelings to Hinata (Sakura had a strong feeling it was before the party) and they were now a couple. Her wrist was still healing, though her concussion wasn't as serious as they'd all thought it to be and it was now completely healed.

It was adorable, really. The couple were speaking with Gaara and Lee, shyly holding hands, blushing and never really making eye contact with each other. And it showed how different people were, because when she and Sasuke started their relationship, she hadn't felt shy about holding his hand – that she could remember, anyway. Or maybe she had and couldn't truly remember because of how far they'd come and how comfortable they were with one another? Whatever the reason, Sakura hoped Hinata and Naruto were as happy together as she and Sasuke were.

Speaking of her boyfriend…

Glancing over her shoulder, she watched Sasuke as he interacted with Itachi and Shisui. It seemed the latter was making some kind of joke, mostly at Sasuke's expense, because there was a faint blush on the youngest Uchiha's cheeks, spreading to the tips of his ears (and she knew it would be on the back of his neck, too). Sakura wondered what Shisui was saying.

On the other side of the room, admiring the view, were Sasuke's parents and her mother. They were chatting quietly to one another, seeming content and during her distraction of watching them, Sakura failed to notice Itachi excusing himself, failed to notice him approaching her until he stood in front of her, offering her a small smile.

"Shisui called me this morning."

Hardly earth-shattering news… "Oh?"

His smile warmed before growing serious. "Your father's trial is coming up – it's in three weeks, actually. We don't have to discuss this now, as you should enjoy yourself while you can, but I thought I should let you know."

He really was quite easy to see through, Sakura realised with obvious shock. Sasuke had always told her that you would know when you were seeing the real Itachi, because he was much more open and didn't hide his thoughts or feelings as well as he usually did. Right now, she could see concern on his features.

"I'm feeling a lot better, Itachi-san." Sakura smiled up at him. "Does my mom know about the trial?"

At her question, he looked over to Mebuki, who still had her back to them. "Not yet."

"Can you be the one to tell her?" she asked quietly with a frown. "Either you or Shisui-san. She feels comfortable with you both and my mom… She hasn't been comfortable around men for… so long. She'd appreciate the news coming from either one of you."

He nodded once. "Of course."

There was a pause, one that was filled with the music and others' chattering. "Do you… know how long he could get?"

"Anything between ten years and life."

So either way, he'd be coming out of prison as an old man, though if he received life, then he'd die in prison. And it was everything he deserved and more, so Sakura refused to feel sad about it. That man had beaten her mother, had abused her physically, mentally and emotionally. And then he'd harmed her friends. He'd almost killed her! _His own freaking daughter!_

Deep breaths.

"Maybe he can finally get the help he needs," mumbled Sakura.

"Perhaps."

When she looked up again, Sakura smiled at her boyfriend as her eyes met his, enjoying how they warmed at the connection.

Thankfully, she'd received a letter earlier that morning from the psychiatrist Tsunade had referred her to. It wasn't anything too interesting, but Sakura now had an appointment with the psychiatrist in two weeks; on a Thursday, at nine in the morning. It was kind of scary, really. What sort of questions would be asked? Would the doctor be male or female? Would they judge her? All irrational fears, Sakura was aware of that, but they were still there and didn't seem to be budging any time soon.

"Um… Sasuke told me," Sakura murmured suddenly, looking back up at Itachi.

"What did he tell you?"

"That you beat him up. My dad, I mean." Something flashed in his eyes at the memory, intriguing her. "And apparently you inflicted quite a bit of damage, something none of us were able to do."

* * *

_Accepting the handcuffs, since Itachi himself had been off duty, he knelt beside Gaara, who was once more pinning a clearly beaten up Kizashi down with all his weight. The older man's face was being squashed into the ground and below his face were a couple of small pools of his own blood._

_"He attempted to escape."_

* * *

"How did you do it?" she questioned. "I mean, Sasuke smashed a bottle over his head and he barely even flinched! I punched him with everything I had and Hinata used Neji-san's attacks and–"

"Calm down, Sakura-san." He smiled softly at her once more. "I have been training in martial arts for as long as I can remember and it isn't difficult for me to find a person's weak points. Sasuke aimed for your father's head with the glass bottle, effectively weakening him for me. Not to mention his arm was broken from Gaara-kun's restraining hold."

Sakura frowned. "That's it? No badass fighting?"

His smile slipped into a smirk and Itachi gestured with his chin over in Sasuke's direction. "You would have to speak with my brother. After we returned and found you unconscious, he attacked your father out of pure rage. Gaara-kun had to put everything he had into pulling Sasuke away."

Sasuke had fought with her father? Why hadn't he told her that? And he hadn't looked beaten up in the least. Not a single bruise other than–

Other than the grazes on his knuckles.

A sudden warmth flooded through her. Sasuke had lost it when he saw her unconscious, when he saw what Kizashi had done to her. He'd lost it and attacked and did his best to defend her. But why had he been so sad at the hospital, begging her for forgiveness for being unable to protect her? He _beat up_ her father! Not even when lashing out with anger had Sakura been able to do that and that was when she was her strongest – when she was so pissed off that she couldn't even see straight.

"Do you mind if I…?"

"Not at all." His smirk widened, a knowing look flitting over his features.

She didn't even take notice of it as Sakura instead made her way over to her boyfriend, who was now talking to Neji and Kakashi as well as Shisui. Doing her best to focus on the others, she smiled at them, politely excusing the pair of them and once they were excused, Sakura pulled Sasuke away from the party, smiling up at him rather impishly as she dragged him into the bathroom. He didn't fail to notice how she locked the door behind them.

But much to Sasuke's surprise, just as he had been about to grab her hand and pull her to him, Sakura instead made the first move by bringing him closer and kissing him heatedly.

"You didn't tell me," she breathed into the kiss, her hands fisting in his hair.

"Tell you what?"

"That you defended me."

Sasuke tensed ever so slightly and tried to pull back, to look at her, but Sakura was having none of it as she arched her back, her eyes slipping shut.

Oh, Christ. He knew that look. He knew that look and just glimpsing at it had him hardening.

"Now?" he asked breathlessly.

Despite his unsure question, he allowed Sakura to push him against the sink, to take his hands and force him to grip the edges of it.

There was a blush on her cheeks when she spoke, admitting, "It's a… a fantasy of mine."

It took a lot to hold back his sudden need to groan and in his pants, his erection throbbed painfully.

"Not to mention hearing about you defending me against my dad…" Sakura slowed and gave him a smile. "I want to thank you."

"You don't have to–"

"I want to." Her voice was slightly lower than usual and she leaned against him, pressing a tender kiss to his throat. "I want you."

And so Sasuke didn't bother to stop her. He didn't want to. Instead he gripped the sink tightly when her kisses moved lower, when she knelt in front of him and unbuttoned his pants, sliding them down his hips so that his erection was freed. The beautiful sight she made had him panting, had his harsh grip on the sink tightening even further until his knuckles turned white over the strain.

It felt like he'd died and gone to heaven as she stroked his length. First with her hand and then with her tongue. The sensations were indescribable and his eyes damn near rolled to the back of his head when Sakura wrapped her lips around him, testing to see how far she could take him into her mouth. They were only halfway down his length when Sakura gagged, but Sasuke wasn't complaining. Just the thought of her doing something so unlike her almost had him coming undone.

They were hosting a freaking party, after all. It was a house warming party, to celebrate moving in and taking another step into their relationship and here they were. Sakura was giving him _a blow job_ in _the bathroom_ while_ their friends and family were just outside the door._

His head tilted back, pressing against the mirrored cupboard above the sink and his expression was one of pleasure when Sakura increased her pace with her hand, pressing lingering kisses and running her tongue along his erection.

But then, much to his dismay, she was releasing him and standing up, though before he could say anything, Sakura reached into his pocket and pulled out a condom, holding it up for him.

"Put it on me," he ordered, his eyes heavy with pleasure and arousal.

Hers weren't much different as Sakura ripped open the packet and pinched the tip of the condom like she'd seen Sasuke doing many times before. Why he did it, she didn't even know, but if it was to make it more comfortable, or to lessen the chances of the condom breaking, then whatever.

"I was thinking about going on the pill."

"Now?" asked Sasuke disbelievingly after he had tugged her underwear down until they fell to her feet, frowning down at her. "We're–"

"We'll talk about it later," she murmured as he turned them around, pushing her up against the sink. "After the party."

He nodded and not even a moment later, Sasuke was tugging her dress higher and lifting one of her thighs over his hip, slowly entering her. The following thrusts were just as slow and each thrust was deep, leaving her to gasp and hold him tightly. The feeling was so intense, only intensifying when he pressed his forehead to hers, watching her eyes.

They hadn't had sex since Suna because of Sakura being on her period before the attack and after… Well, she hadn't really been in the mood or they'd both been too tired to really do anything such as that. Not to mention the fact that people crowded around her now, wanting to protect her and watch her back and whatnot. It never really gave them a chance to be that way with each other.

His pants for breath felt hot against her lips and Sakura wondered idly, as she gripped at his behind in an attempt to bring him closer, if hers felt the same. But then his lips were claiming hers once more and leaving her breathless, taking away all thoughts. Sakura tried her best to hold on, to cling to him, however, it was growing difficult as the sensations began to overwhelm her.

Noticing this, Sasuke reluctantly pulled away, though was quick to lower Sakura onto the floor, soon joining and entering her once more. He immediately moved at a faster pace than just moments before, grabbing one of her hips and doing his best to pull her against him so that she was meeting his thrusts more easily.

Only moments later and the gripping of her hands on his ass once more shot spasms of pleasure through his body. It was impossible holding back the urge to pound into her, especially as she breathed into his ear for him to move faster. They were doing their best to be quiet, to make it quick and Sasuke still couldn't believe they were actually having sex when they had guests, when they were hosting a party.

The moaning of his name in her ear had Sasuke gritting his teeth and his hold on her hip tightened, bringing her against him more forcefully.

And then an explosion seemed to erupt within him and he didn't care about somebody hearing them. He didn't care about the wet slapping sound echoing around the bathroom. He didn't care about the moan coming from beneath him before Sakura slapped a hand over her mouth, throwing her head back and squeezing her eyes shut.

Once it was over, once his orgasm – the most intense orgasm he'd had so far – had drifted away, Sasuke was disappointed when he realised that Sakura had not reached orgasm.

"Don't." She smiled just as he went to say something. The hand that had been used to cover her own mouth was suddenly on his when Sasuke tried to say something else. "I don't care if I didn't orgasm this time."

He sighed in response and gently pulled out of her, sitting back onto his knees and removing the condom. "Next time you will."

She couldn't help but blush at his words, averting her eyes when he tied the end of the condom and threw it into the waste bin that resided next to the toilet. Like the estate agent had told them: the bathroom was a four piece suite with a toilet, a sink, a bath and then a separate shower cubicle.

"What brought this on, anyway?" asked Sasuke. He picked up her discarded underwear and slipped them back up her legs, gently caressing her thighs as he did so. "You've never been so forward before."

Again, she smiled. "I was feeling very grateful."

This made him frown. "You don't have to have sex with me whenever I do something for you, Sakura. That's–"

"You're saying it like I'm forcing myself." Sakura laughed and sat up, leaning up to kiss Sasuke's cheek sweetly. "I just couldn't wait until tonight or until everyone's left."

He nodded in agreement. They could have drawn it out had they waited and Sakura definitely would have reached orgasm, but Sasuke knew he could make up for it tonight. Sex with Sakura, as stupid as it probably sounded, was like a drug to him. It relaxed him and pushed away all negative thoughts, leaving Sasuke to feel… free, in a way.

"We should probably get back to the party," she told him quietly. "People are going to be missing us."

Reluctantly, he agreed.

* * *

Panting hard and body still thrumming with pleasure, Sasuke rolled over and collapsed onto his back, watching the ceiling and listening as Sakura breathed just as heavily, as they both attempted to control their breathing and the spasming of their trembling bodies.

Living together was…

It was amazing.

They'd been living together for just over a month now and in a few hours, they would be going to college for the first time. What better way to start the day than a quick romp? Sasuke had whispered something along those lines in Sakura's ear between the heated kisses that had been littered up and down her throat.

Sakura was so tempted to fall back asleep, to just shut her eyes and allow the post-coital bliss to lure her into unconsciousness, but she knew that that could not happen. Not just anybody would be teaching her first medical class – it would be her shishou, Senju Tsunade. She knew that she couldn't be late to that class not only because it wouldn't look good for either of them, but also because Tsunade would surely kick her ass for it.

Like Itachi had more or less promised her, Haruno Kizashi received a lengthy sentence of fifteen years. Sure, it wasn't as long as she or her mother had hoped, as they knew there was a chance they'd one day see him on the street again, but it was enough for now. They would have fifteen years of peace. Maybe her mother could even find love during that time?

She didn't attend the trial and instead did her part via a video. Shisui had been by her side the entire time, much to her gratefulness and he'd been very supportive. Sakura was still trying to find a way to thank him for that.

"Do you want some breakfast?" Sakura asked once she'd eventually caught her breath.

Sasuke leaned up and over her, kissing his girlfriend softly. "Yeah."

Nodding, she kissed him one last time and then slipped out from beneath him, reaching for her robe to cover herself. Sleeping naked was something she still wasn't entirely used to, as there was always that fear that somebody was going to break in and see her in the nude. Having Sasuke by her side, equally as naked, took those fears away, though. In fact, he was quite the distraction.

Since moving in, Sakura had rejoined the dojo with Gaara, who had been very patient with her as they relearned everything (only she needed to go over everything, but Gaara never complained once). Even Rock Lee had slowed himself down in order to assist her, taking things as slowly as possible without offending Sakura. Sasuke didn't use a local dojo. Why? Oh, his father owned one or two. No big deal.

When he'd asked Sakura if she'd like to use his dojo instead, she had grimaced. Not out of disgust or anything or the sort, but out of awkwardness, because she'd replied negatively, quietly telling Sasuke that she enjoyed spending time with the other martial artists at Gai's dojo. They were all unique characters. He'd taken it well, Sakura believed. Now, he trained with Itachi, Shisui or even his father.

It was distractedly that Sakura made the breakfast. Growing up, she had always helped her mother in the kitchen, so she knew what she was doing and what every piece of equipment was for.

Arms wrapping around her waist and soft lips against her cheek almost startled her.

"Do you know what time your lunch is?" Sakura shook her head and in response, Sasuke kissed her cheek again. "Text me when you do. Naruto wants us all to have ramen together."

Even though she wasn't a huge fan of ramen, it did sound like a good plan. That way, they could all tell each other about their day so far and what their schedules were. Who knows? Maybe they'd all find a few new friends who could tag along? Something about that thought had her stomach in knots. Sakura didn't want her group to disband or for anybody else to join it. What if the newbies caused trouble? What if they got in between them all? After everything they'd been through, Sakura didn't want to lose any of her friends. And what about Sasuke?

Sakura's eyes lowered to the pan once more and she frowned at it. What if there were a whole load of beautiful girls in his classes? What if they tried to seduce or tempt him? What if he became good friends with them and realised they were better than her? What if–

She was being stupid and worrying over nothing. A little bit of possessiveness and anxiety was good for a person, but not like _that_. Sasuke wasn't her property. If he wanted to talk to other girls, then fine. It would be hypocritical of her to say he couldn't, especially considering her friendship with Gaara and how close they were. As long as those girls knew about _her_ and knew that Sasuke was not single, as long as they respected their relationship and didn't try to intervene, then Sakura would accept it. She would–

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

Switching off the hob, for breakfast was now ready and on the verge of overcooking, Sakura sighed and stepped out of Sasuke's embrace, walking over to the plates set out on the counter.

"It's nothing."

Even though her eyes weren't on him, Sakura just knew that he was frowning. "Sakura."

Again, she sighed and faced him. Like she had thought: Sasuke was frowning. "I'm being silly."

"I won't laugh. Is it about yesterday's therapy session? Did the psychiatrist say anything?"

"No. Nothing that you don't already know." There wasn't really anything _to_ know because at that moment in time, they were examining her to see if the anger was more than just anger issues. They were trying to figure out if it went deeper than that, if it was a mental illness or something of the sort. "I just…" Green eyes slipped away from grey-black. "I don't want any of us to grow distant. College is going to be filled with so many new people. What if… What if we all find new groups? Everything's going to change."

Instead of growing annoyed like Sakura had thought he would, Sasuke merely raised an eyebrow at her. "You're worried about us finding other people."

It wasn't a question, but she nodded anyway. Sasuke knew her too well not to catch onto what she was thinking.

"I've told you before, Sakura: I'm not interested in anyone else." He sighed and stepped closer to her, resting his hands on her hips. "They could be otherworldly beautiful and insanely intelligent and I wouldn't care."

"But–"

"Are you saying somebody could replace me so easily?"

"No, but–"

"Then why do you think somebody could replace you?"

"I…" He was giving her the chance to speak now, but Sakura couldn't find the words to describe her thoughts. She couldn't figure out how to put those thoughts into words without sounding like a paranoid girlfriend, which she probably was. "I don't know."

Fortunately, Sasuke still didn't seem to be annoyed with her and when he kissed her forehead affectionately, Sakura suddenly became aware of their proximity, of the fact that he was wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants that were _very_ low on his hips. And like every other time Sasuke came so close to her, her heart began to pound and her breathing grew shallow.

He smirked and pulled away. "It's not your looks that keep me with you, Sakura. It's your intelligence and personality. Sure, you're beautiful, but your personality makes you unpredictable, meaning you're never boring." His smirk widened and he ran a finger across her blushing cheeks. "The only thing that makes you predictable is this."

Much to _both_ of their amusements, Sakura's blush deepened. "I can't help it."

"I know." Sasuke then grew serious, frowning down at her softly. "Feeling any better?"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes. "I was just worried, Sasuke. Not upset or angry."

"Well, have I eased your worry?"

A smile pulled at her lips. "You have. Now hurry up and eat, because breakfast is getting cold and I'm not making more!"

* * *

Sakura couldn't believe how nervous she felt – so much more than she'd thought she would. Just moments before, in the car, her mother had called her and wished her good luck on her first day. She also invited the pair of them over for dinner, so that they could tell her all about their day.

It had been difficult not being with her mother, Sakura wasn't even going to bother to try and deny that. For the first week of living with Sasuke, she'd rung her mother every night before bed, checking up on her and making sure she'd eaten, that she'd been getting enough sleep. She needn't worry. Now that Sakura had moved out, Mebuki saved so much money and was currently saving up to buy herself a car, to make travelling to work easier. There was even the possibility of dropping her second job now, too, though Mebuki wasn't too sure on it. The extra money was useful and she had good friends at the diner.

As Sakura stepped through the door to her class, all thoughts came to a screeching halt as she saw the size of it. The class was huge and already, it was packed with other students, making her rather uneasy. It also made it hard to find a seat, because–

Platinum blonde hair caught her eye.

When Sakura looked back to the blonde, her eyes widened with shock when blue eyes met hers. And then the blonde was removing her bag from the desk beside her, pulling out the chair in a silent invitation, one Sakura accepted without hesitation. Her heart was in her throat and her palms were growing sweaty, but even though she'd been certain that she was frozen in place with shock, she took the seat.

"Sakura."

_What the hell was going on?_ "…Ino."

She raised an eyebrow at her, regarding Sakura with some unknown emotion. "You look different."

Her hand raised to her hair, fingering the ends of it self-consciously. Damn it. Ino always managed to make her feel so inferior. With just one look, she could make Sakura feel like she was only an inch tall, but it was great _sometimes_. Why? Because that feeling always knocked back her anger. It always forced her to calm down unless she wanted Ino to knock her on her ass and put her in her place _with force_. She was a hell of a lot tougher than she looked.

"I got a haircut."

Ino actually snickered at that. "I didn't mean your hair."

"Then what did you mean?" Sakura demanded, frowning up at her.

But the blonde merely shook her head, still seeming a little unsure. "I don't know. You look… happier than the last time we spoke."

It was Sakura's turn to raise an eyebrow and huff with amusement. "That's because the last time we spoke, I was being ambushed by Sasuke's fan-girls."

"Speaking of which. I suppose…" A single blue eye rolled and she sighed. "I was wrong about your relationship with Uchiha Sasuke. It seems he _has_ changed."

Was this her way of apologising? Or was she just admitting to being wrong? Ino _never_ admitted to being wrong, which was why Sakura felt so unsure and confused. "He has. We're living together now."

She looked stunned. "Really? Since when? I thought you spent all summer in Suna."

The air around them felt a little more relaxed at the questions and when Ino rested her elbow on the desk and her head in her hand, watching her, Sakura felt more and more tension leaving her body. It was so easy telling Ino everything that had happened (perhaps not everything, because the subject of her father would take _forever_ to discuss) and in a way, it felt like they'd never fallen out in the first place.

"Look." Ino suddenly sighed when Tsunade entered the room, sitting up straighter. It was crazy how the rest of the class also snapped to attention, bright eyes focusing entirely on the woman. "I'm not saying we can be best friends again, because I'm still not over you ditching our friendship like it meant absolutely nothing for a guy, but… We can try again, if you want."

A small smile played along her lips. This was what she'd been hoping for before finishing high school. A second chance to try and make it up to Ino, because their friendship certainly hadn't meant nothing to her. It was Ino who helped her with the bullies, who'd helped her overcome her issues with her forehead. Sakura knew it was going to take a while to earn back Ino's trust, to prove to her that she was serious about being friends again, but she was determined to earn that trust again, just like Sasuke had with her. People _were_ capable of change if they truly wanted it and she did. Sakura wanted it so badly that her heart _ached_.

Ino was giving her a chance, was helping her to change.

"I've really missed you, Ino-Pig. There's so much that I need to tell you!"

In return, Ino smiled, too. It was small, tired, but her eyes warmed at the old nickname, like she was incredibly happy to hear it once more but didn't want to show it. "I know, Forehead."

* * *

**THE END**

* * *

**A/N - Please don't kill me! I know that it's a quick and unexpected ending, but I felt I would be dragging it out if I continued and I wanted to leave you guessing about how Sakura's treatment went and if she managed to earn Ino's trust once more.**

**This week has been really good so far and I'm hoping my sudden luck doesn't run out any time soon. First, after my interview, I got a call back the next day... I GOT THE JOB! Then, today, I collected the rest of my results. Distinction*, A, Pass, Pass and a C! I finally passed maths hahaha. That has to be the worst subject for me, so I'm actually really happy that all my hard work paid off. The first time I took the exam, I got a U. Then an E. And now a C!**

**The kitten is doing really well, though my mum thinks there's something not right in her head. She gets quite confused sometimes about where her food is and where the litter tray is. Quite a few times, we've had to stop her from using the sofas as her litter tray. Not only that, but she won't go upstairs at all. She hates it. Any advice, anyone? I'm hoping we get to keep her, but I think the others still think it's too soon since our other cat, Gizmo, died. I understand and everything, because I still miss the terrifying furball so much, but I'm sure she'd want us to take in a kitten who can't be rehomed because of her bathroom habits, right?**

**I wasn't planning on updating, but for the first time in a while, I feel genuinely happy and I wanted to share it with you all, because of how nice and caring you have all been to me. I'll try my best to get around to replying to you all, too!**

**Thank you!**

**Edited: 03/05/17**


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